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How not to catch fish. 



FAMILIAR FISH 

THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

A PRACTICAL BOOK ON 
FRESH-WATER GAME FISH 

BY 

EUGENE McCarthy 

AUTHOR OF THE LEAPING OUANANICHE, 
A TALE OF LAKE ST. JOHN, ETC. 

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY 
Dr. DAVID STARR JORDAN 

PRESIDENT OF LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR L'NIVERSITY 

ILLUSTRATED 




NEW YORK 

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 

1909 






Copyright, 1900, 
By D. APPLETON AND COMPANY. 

All rights reserved. 






TO MY FRIEND 

EDWIN B. HAY, Esq., 

OF WASHINGTON, D. C. , 

I DEDICATE THIS VOLUME 



PEEFATORY NOTE 




Born beneath the Fish's sign." 



Every healthy boy, every right- 
minded man, and every uncaged 
woman feels, at one time or another, 
and maybe at all times, the impulse 
to go a-lishing. That is what fishes 
are for : to call us away from 
newspapers and counting 
rooms, school books and par- 
lors and five-o'clock teas, 
out into the open of exist- 
ence, where life is real and 
banks are green, skies are 
blue, and the birds sing in 
the branches over the water. 
It does not matter much 
what fishes are in the streams. 
Still less is it essential that 
we should succeed in catch- 



ing them. 



The main thing 



vi FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

is the breaking away, tlie going in searcli of them, the 
generous feeling of brotherhood, and that trusting of 
ourselves to the lap of our generous Mother, which we 
have inadequately called " communion with Nature." 

Yet it is well to know in advance something of 
where we are going, what fishes we shall find, and 
with what means we shall call them forth to suit our 
pleasure. To give this is the purpose of this book. 
Its writer is a successful angler. He is a good 
fisherman. He would teach others to be successful. 
E^ot that he would train them to be " fish hogs," or 
teach them to make a longer string or fill a bigger 
basket than any hogs before them. These things are 
abhorred of gods and sportsmen. It is better far 
to lie about your great catch than to make it. The 
fisherman's lie is natural and sportsmanlike. His 
greed is not. It is, I am sure, the wish of the author 
that the reader should make his catch in sportsman- 
like fashion, that he should learn to love the streams 
and their inhabitants, and that so loving, as the sea- 
sons go on, he should return to river, rod, and fly 
again and again, finding each year in the stream the 
fishes that his need demands. For it is written that 
to be "born beneath the Fish's sign" is to bear 
through life the subtle influence of the " happiest of 
constellations." David Stark Jordan. 

Palo Alto, California, February 10, 1900. 



AUTHOK'S INTRODUCTION 




That " all work and no play 
makes Jack a dull boy" is a 
saying the truth of which can 
not be denied, whether it be 
applied to boys of young or 
mature years. Occasional rec- 
reation is required to maintain 
good health, but it must not be 
allowed to interfere with serious work of any nature. 
With the hope that those whose inclinations tend 
toward the harmless and health -giving sport of an- 
ghng, and others who may become converts to it, 
may both find necessary and helpful instruction in 
the art from its pages, this work has been prepared. 

The difficulties to be met with in endeavoring to 
teach one how to fish successfully through the me- 
dium of a book are best explained in the follomng 
passage from the introduction to Isaac Walton's 
Compleat Angler, published in 1653, The extract 



YU 



viii FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

sets forth most clearly just what should be said in 
advance to intending readers of this volume : 

" Next let me tell the Reader, that in that which 
is the more useful part of this Discourse, that is to 
say, the observations of the nature, and breeding, and 
seasons, and catching, of Fish, I am not so simple as 
not to know, that a captious Reader may find excep- 
tions against something said of some of these : and 
therefore I must entreat him to consider, that expe- 
rience teaches us to know, that several countries alter 
the time, and I think almost the manner, of Fishes' 
breeding, but doubtless of their being in season. . . . 

"Now for the Art of Catching Fish, that is to 
say, how to make a man that was none, to be an An- 
gler by a book ; he that undertakes it shall undertake 
a harder task than Mr. Hales, a most valiant and ex- 
cellent Fencer, who in a printed book, called ' A pri- 
vate school of Defence,' undertook to teach that art 
or science, and was laughed at for his labour. Not 
but that many useful things might be learned b}^ that 
book, but he was laughed at, because that art was not 
to be taught by words, but practice : and so must 
Angling. And note also, that in this Discourse I do 
not undertake to say all that is known, or may be said 
of it, but I undertake to acquaint the Reader, with 
many things that are not usually known to every 
Angler ; and I shall leave gleanings and observations 



AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION ix 

enough to be made out of the experience of all that 
love and practise this recreation, to which I shall en- 
courage them. For Angling may be said to be so 
like the Mathematics, that it can never be fully 
learned ; at least not so fully, but that there will still 
be more new experiments left for the trial of other 
men that succeed us. . . . 

" I shall stay him [the Eeader] no longer than to 
wish him a rainy evening to read this following Dis- 
course ; and that, if he be an honest Angler, the East- 
wind may never blow when he goes a-Fishing." 

To guard against any possible errors in the de- 
scriptions of different fishes given in this book, and 
to be justified in advancing the claim that they are 
absolutely reliable and correct, the manuscript was 
submitted to Dr. David Starr Jordan, President of 
Leland Stanford Junior University, whose rank as a 
scientist, educator, and publicist requires no definition. 
For the courtesy of this thoroughly equipped ichthy- 
ologist in reading the manuscript, passing upon its 
scientific accuracy, and writing his graceful Prefatory 
Note, I desire to make my grateful acknowledgments. 



CONTENTS 



I.- 
II.- 

III.- 

IV.- 

V.- 

VI.- 

VII.- 

VIII.- 

IX.- 

X.- 

XI.- 

XIL- 

XIII.- 

XIV.- 

XV.- 

XVL- 

XVII.- 

XVIII.- 

XIX.- 

XX.—! 



Prefatory note 

Author's introduction .... 
•a lesson in advance of the subject . 

■The HATCHING AND PROPAGATION OF FISH 
The SALMON, and members of that FAMILY 

-The ouananiche and the sea trout . 

-The bass family 

-muskallunge, pike, pickerel, pike perch 
■Miscellaneous fresh-water fish . 
-Fishing tackle — what to select . 
-The tackle box and its contents 

-Fly fishing 

■How TO catch salmon and trout . 
■Ouananiche and sea-trout fishing 

-Angling for bass 

how muskallunge, pike, pickerel, and pike perch 

are caught 

Angling for other fresh-water fish . 
■Camping — how, when, and where . 
Special hints for anglers . 
Comprising a chapter on don'ts . 
Open fishing seasons in United States 

Canada 

Scientific names of fish mentioned 

xi 



and 



PAGE 
V 

vii 

1 

6 

17 

33 

41 

56 

67 

85 

95 

103 

111 

136 

136 

146 
158 
164 
179 
194 

300 
309 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIOJS^S 



PAGE 

How not to catch fish Frontispiece 

" Born beneath the Fish's sign ■" v 

Studying angUng vii 

Familiar llsh and how to catch them 1 

How to learn the rudiments of fishing 3 

Trout egg ready to hatch 6 

A fish way 9 

Trout three days old 14 

Just caught 17 

Atlantic Salmon 19 

Pacific Salmon 19 

Brook-Trout 21 

Rainbow Trout 25 

Brown Trout 27 

Lake Trout .27 

A bit of Lake St. John 32 

A 7i-pound Ouananiche 34 

Bass jumping 41 

Small-mouth Bass 43 

Large-mouth Bass .47 

Strawberry Bass 49 

Rock Bass 51 

White Bass 53 

A place for Pickerel 56 

Muskallunge 59 

Pike .59 

Head of Muskallunge, Pike, Pickerel 60 

Pickerel C3 

Pike Perch 63 

Still fishing 67 

Yellow Perch 69 

Yellow Perch eggs 70 

White Perch 72 

Scale Carp 74 

Leather-back Carp . 76 

xiii 



XIV FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

PAGE 

Catfish 79 

Fresh-water Sheepshead 81 

Burbot 83 

Necessary tackle 85 

Sizes of lines 90 

Sizes of hooks 91 

Kinds of hooks 92, 98 

Snell hooks 93 

Sizes of oval spoons 94 

Sizes of kidney spoons 94 

Tackle box 95 

Leader box 96 

Drinking cup 98 

Cod hook 98 

Fish basket 99 

Rod case . . . . , 99 

Tying gut 101 

A well-tied fly .... „ 102 

Salmon leaping a fall Ill 

Playing a Salmon 113 

A Trout stream 117 

Angling for Trout 120 

Canoeing for Ouananiche 126 

Playing a Ouananiche 129 

A string of Ouananiche 131 

Ouananiche Pool 133 

A good string 136 

Playing a Black Bass 139 

Spinner with Minnow 140 

A trolling spoon 146 

Double and treble hooks 148 

A gang of hooks 149 

Above-water tip-up 153 

Underwater tip-up 155 

Hook disgorger 157 

Three Perch at a cast 158 

A camp breakfast 164 

A bark camp 167 

A camp bed ... 169 

A tent camp 171 

How to cook over a camp fire 177 

A fislierman photographer 179 

Bass swimming (from life) 183 

A releaser 184 

Figure of fish, showing the location of parts usually referred to in 

descriptions 187 

A frog spear • .189 



FAMILIAR PISH, 
THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 




CHAPTER I 

A LESSON IN ADVANCE OF THE SUBJECT 

The best advice to give mod- 
ern seekers after sport is to be- 
come fishermen. Study the art 
a little and practice it much. 
Nothing can be more harmless, 
since only the nobler feelings are 
aroused. It can only result in complete satisfac- 
tion. Seek the wilderness — the farther away from 
civilization the better it will be. 

First of all, it is absolutely necessary to know the 
" how," " when," and " where " of fishing. To learn 
this, one must begin at the very beginning — the 
hatching and breeding of the various game and food 
fishes, which will give an insight into their nature. 
A study of their names, distinguishing marks, and 
habits comes next. When this has been acquired it 



2 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

naturally follows that one should gain a thorough 
knowledge of tackle — rods, lines, reels, and especially 
natural and artiiicial bait — and how to arrange and 
use it. All this comprises the " how." The " when " 
is learned in connection with it, since in studying it 
tlie nature and habits of fish become readily known. 
Thus the proper time to catch them is indicated, and 
the " where " as well. Any boy at all enthusiastic 
over angling generally knows where to go "a-fish- 
ing." Add to this knowledge that which has been 
acquired through proper study, and the result is that 
the beginner soon becomes an adept, successful, full- 
fledged fisherman. It can be readily understood that 
the study of fishing is neither a long nor an unpleas- 
ant task in any way, but, on the contrary, has a 
peculiar fascination. 

It is very unfortunate that the natural supply of 
fish is constantly being depleted by two avoidable 
causes : one, excessive greed — the desire to take more 
fish than can properly be disposed of ; the other, the 
ignoring of all game laws by taking fish out of season. 
The opportunity to make large catches frequently 
occurs. If the temptation can not be withstood, then 
remove the fish carefully from the hook and return 
them to the water, retaining only those badly injured, 
or a sufficient number to supply actual wants. That 
certainly should satisfy any inordinate craving to 



4 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

catch fisli. Just remember that there are many other 
fishermen to follow you in the years to come. They 
will be equally enthusiastic anglers, and equally desir- 
ous of success. Why not leave some fish for them, 
and for yourself another day as well ? Avoid willful, 
useless slaughter of any kind. 

Too much can not be said against the violation of 
the game laws — the taking of fish out of season. It 
is not only an illegal offense, punishable by heavy 
penalties, but, what is far more important, it pre- 
vents their natural increase, which is most necessary. 
Close seasons were made to protect certain fish dur- 
ing their spawning time, when they are easily taken, 
especially in the vicinity of the hatching beds. Each 
fish so caught means tlie loss of hundreds and thou- 
sands of young fish about to be hatched out. It is 
not necessary to caution a good sportsman in regard 
to this matter, but it is necessary for all to co-operate 
and prevent others from violating the law. Protect 
all game and food fish in every way possible. 

A few words of caution against carelessness may 
be spoken here, especially to young anglers. Acci- 
dents are to be attributed almost entirely to this 
cause. As the greater amount of fishing is done 
from a boat, constant watchfulness should always be 
practiced. Avoid haste and dangerous places. It is 
better to lose a fish, or a day's fishing, or even to walk 



A LESSON IN ADVANCE OF THE SUBJECT 5 

a mile, than to have an accident occur through being 
too hastj, or attempting a difficult passage. The 
safest kind of a boat is dangerous when improperly 
handled. Rapids, falls, and rough waters should be 
avoided, unless a skilled hand guides the craft. One 
can not handle a boat properly and fish at the same 
time. An attempt to do this invites disaster and 
certainly prevents success. 

The angler must be prepared for much disap- 
pointment, for fish will not bite constantly, nor every 
day. They have peculiar, unexplainable moods that 
continuing favoring conditions of water, wind, and 
weather can not control. An understanding of their 
nature and habits, together with a good knowledge 
of tackle and how to use it, greatly increases the 
chances of success. At all events, patience must be 
practiced, and the poor fish should not always be 
blamed. 

Owing to the close similarity of various fish — 
members of the same family — many errors are made 
by fishermen in giving them their proper names. To 
understand their distinguishing marks, consultation 
of many Fish Commission reports is often necessary. 
To properly distinguish and name fish is very neces- 
sary ; to know how to catch them, al)solutely so. To 
present this knowledge in an authoritative, compact 
form is the aim of the following chapters. 



CHAPTER II 



THE HATCHING AND PROPAGATION OF FISH 




Trout egg ready to hatch. 



Almost everything material 
is the result of a very small be- 
ginning, and especially is this 
true of fish. Their beginning 
is in an egg, and in nearly all 
cases a particularly small egg — 
so small, in fact, that usually 
ten or twelve will cover a space 
only one inch long. There is absolutely no form 
of life, either of mammals, birds, or reptiles, that 
l^atiire has planned to bring forth its kind so nu- 
merously as does the fish. That this was a most 
wise provision will readily be understood when it is 
known that the enemies that feed upon the eggs and 
the fish themselves, through all stages of growth to 
full size, are innumerable. As the season ,of the 
year for spawning arrives, the female fish will be 
found to contain a very large number of eggs — a 

quantity difiicult to estimate, but usually averaging 
6 



THE HATCHING AND PROPAGATION OF FISH 7 

many thousands. To illustrate, it is well to note that 
a salmon of 20 pounds will average about 16,000 
eggs ; a 5 -pound ouananiche, 4,000 ; a 2- to 4:-pound 
rainbow trout, 3,000 ; the brook trout averaging 
somewhat less. The lake trout is estimated to yield 
1,000 eggs to each pound of its weight ; a 2i-pound 
black bass will range from 2,000 to 10,000, the large- 
mouth variety averaging more. When ripe, the eggs 
are deposited upon the spawning beds, which vary in 
location with the nature of the various fish. It can 
be given as a general rule, however, that a gravel or 
stony bottom usually forms the bed, although grass 
and weeds are selected by some varieties. Many fish 
seek shallow running water for their hatching ground ; 
others, quite deep waters in lakes and ponds. Many 
eggs are imperfect or undeveloped, or not milted 
upon by the male fish. 

From the moment the eggs are being dropped 
the many enemies of the fish commence their attacks, 
and it really seems strange that a single one should 
ever hatch out or attain its growth. So-called bot- 
tom fish, comprising bullheads, suckers, and carp, are 
the greatest destroyers of eggs. The bullhead and 
carp live exclusively upon spawn during the season, 
and devour it in such quantities that they have often 
been taken so completely filled as to be absolutely 
unable to move. It is a great pity that the carp was 



S FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

ever introduced from Germany into American waters. 
It is not even a fair food fish — not sufficiently fine to 
compensate for its great destruction of spawn. In 
confined waters, especially, it will in a few years 
absolutely exterminate all other fish by destroying 
their eggs. 

Frogs, and some aquatic birds, too, feed upon 
fish eggs, while wading and swimming birds dislodge 
them from the beds, and thus cause them to be car- 
ried away by the current and lost. Male trout have 
often been seen upon a spawning bed, catching and 
devouring the eggs almost as rapidly as they are 
dropped by the female. This is common practice 
with other fish as well. But when the eggs that have 
escaped destruction have in due time hatched out, 
the enemies multiply. Young fish recently hatched 
are called fry, and from that stage, during growth 
until maturity, and even after, they are the natural 
food of larger fish, even of their own kind. 

The fouling and poisoning of streams and rivers 
by the refuse from mills located upon them have 
done much to destroy fish generally. This defilement, 
together with the erection of dams without proper 
fish ways, absolutely prevents fish from ascending to 
the spawning beds. So serious had both of these 
evils become some years ago, that the United States 
Government, and most of the State governments 



THE HATCHING AND PROPAGATION OF FISH 9 

individually, passed stringent laws against the defiling 
of streams, even with sawdust, ordering at the same 
time that all dams should be provided with fish ways. 
With all the various destroying agents just men- 
tioned interfering with, and in some instances abso- 
lutely preventing, the natural hatching of fish, it 
seems strange that any of the game and food varie- 
ties should have been left. Had not artificial hatch- 
ing and propagating been resorted to, there certainly 
would not have been. This fact was long since rec- 




A fish way. 

ognized by the United States and State governments ; 
hatcheries were built and fish commissions formed to 
care for them. The first attempt to hatch trout arti- 
ficially was made in Ohio in 1853, and was very suc- 
cessful. A large number of hatcheries are now 
located at suitable points all over the country. Im- 
mense numbers of fish of many varieties are hatched 
there and raised to a sufiicient size to insure their 
reaching their full growth when planted in rivers and 
lakes. This method prevents the destruction of both 
eggs and young fish, causing a very much larger pro- 
portion to grow to full size than would be possible 



10 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

under natural conditions. To illustrate this it may 
be stated that those familiar with the subject claim 
that not even twenty per cent of the eggs deposited 
in a wild state are hatched out to reach the fry stage, 
and that but a small proportion of these reach matu- 
rity. In artificial hatching ninety -five to ninety-seven 
per cent are usually hatched out, and nearly that 
amount can be raised to a proper size to plant in 
various waters. 

The best advice to give a young fislierman is to 
ascertain the location of the nearest Government or 
State hatchery, and to visit it at the proper season, 
allowing ample time to study its workings. Since 
that is not always possible, however, a description of 
the artificial batching and propagation of fish will be 
necessary. The metbods followed with the many 
varieties would require a volume by tbemselves; 
therefore it is better to select one representative fish, 
and explain the process fully. As the details of the 
work are very similar with all species, suflicient in- 
sight will be given into them in thjs way to insure a 
good general understanding of the whole subject. 

The spa^vning season of the different fresh -water 
fishes varies to such an extent, that nearly every 
month of the year is represented by some one variety. 
Again, in different parts of the country, the particu- 
lar season of a species varies materially. This, of 



THE HATCHING AND PROPAGATION OF FISH H 

course, is caused entirely by the climate — whether 
warmer or colder. Then, also, the different tempera- 
tures of waters in the same neighborhood make a 
material difference. Thus, black bass commence to 
spawn soon after the ice leaves. In large shallow 
lakes and rivers, where the waters warm rapidly, A pril 
and early May is their season. In deeper, cooler 
waters it extends through May, and even into June. 

Perhaps the best fish to illustrate the process of 
artificial hatching and propagating, is the most popu- 
lar one with all fishermen — the brook trout. The 
greatest efforts have been directed toward multiply- 
ing this member of the salmon family on account of 
its popularity, and absolute success has been attained. 
October is the regular spawning season of the trout, 
although September or November may be the time, 
in the case of very warm or very cold waters. 

Beyond any question the brook trout is absolutely 
the handsomest and most delicate fish we have in the 
East. It is found only in the cleanest and purest 
cold water, the least contamination suflicing to drive 
it away. Living entirely upon live food, the brook 
trout rarely, if ever, devours anything dead. As the 
spawning season approaches, these fish ascend the 
small streams, seeking shallow spots with a clean 
gravel bottom, over which a good current flows. 
Here the female removes the sand with her tail, and, 



12 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

pushing aside the gravel with her nose, forms a shal- 
low nest. In this the eggs are deposited, and, when 
milted upon by the male, are covered with loose 
gravel, then left until hatched. 

During the spawning season large quantities of 
eggs are secured from wild fish by the hatcheries at 
the natural beds. Many trout are also taken in nets 
throughout the year and kept in ponds until ripe, 
but as the facilities for keeping a quantity of fish 
are limited, an additional amount of spawn must be 
secured. The beds are easily found, and when the 
trout arrive, they are taken, a few at a time, in small 
nets. An expert employe can note in a moment if a 
fish is ripe ; if not, it is returned to the water. "When 
the fish is held by the tail the eggs will move toward 
the head, leaving the stomach shrunken ; if it is 
unripe this will not occur. The eggs and milt from 
the females and males are dropped separately into 
pans and at once gently mixed with a feather. After 
standing a few moments, they are carefully and con- 
stantly washed in pure running water until absolutely 
clean. The eggs, heretofore adhering, separate in an 
hour or less, and are then placed in gravel-bottom 
troughs, and left alone for some thirty days. After 
that period eye spots begin to appear, whereupon the 
eggs are placed in gauze-covered trays, in troughs of 
running water, there to remain until hatched out. 



THE HATCHING AND PROPAGATION OF FISH 13 

During the first month the eggs can be packed in 
especially prepared boxes, and sent without injury to 
any part of the world. After being placed in troughs 
or hatching boxes, through which a stream of cold 
water constantly flows, they must be examined fre- 
quently, and all imperfect ones removed. A few bad 
ones mingled with the others would soon cause all 
to be covered with a fungus-like growth that would 
spoil the entire number in the trough. Usually about 
three months are required to hatch out the eggs, de- 
pendent entirely upon the coldness of the water. If 
it is very cold — 35° to 40° — four or five months will 
be necessary. 

Gi^eat care must be taken in handling the eggs, 
to avoid shaking or jarring them, as any violent or 
sudden motion is liable to divide the yolks and 
destroy the germs. Incidentally, it may be men- 
tioned here that the famous double-tailed goldfish 
frequently seen are raised in Japan, and are pro- 
duced by violently shaking the eggs in a pan. This 
causes the hatching of many monstrosities, some 
with double heads or double bodies, others with 
double tails, but generally only the latter survive. 
With the exercise of the greatest care quite a large 
number of odd fish are hatched out, some having 
several heads or tails, many double bodies, or are dis- 
torted in some strange way. The most peculiar are 



14 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

preserved in alcohol, and can be seen at any of the 
hatcheries. 

As soon as they are hatched out, the young iish, or 
fry, as they are called, require great care and atten- 
tion. Quite a number die, and must be carefully re- 
moved for the same reason that prescribes the removal 




Trout three days' old. 

of imperfect eggs. During the first three or four 
weeks a small sac remains attached to the stomach 
of the fish, which l^ature provides as its source of 
nourishment. At this stage their growth is quite 
rapid, and it is at this time that the young fry can 
be safely shipped in cans to a distance, to be used in 
stocking streams. No artificial food is needed, and 
if the water in the cans is properly aerated by chang- 
ing it or putting in pieces of ice, but few die during 
the journey. 

When the sacs begin to disappear, artificial feed- 
ing must be resorted to, raw liver only being used. 
This is mashed up in water to the consistence of 



THE HATCHING AND PROPAGATION OF FISH 15 

pudding, and passed through a fine sieve. A little 
of it is dipped out at a time on a feather and floated 
in the troughs, the process being repeated six or 
eight times a day. The fish eagerly take it. As 
they grow in size the liver is fed in larger quantities, 
much coarser, but less frequently. It is necessary 
also, as they become larger, to reduce the number of 
fish in each trough, to avoid overcrowding and suffo- 
cation. Fish hatched in the winter or early spring 
will grow from three to six inches in length (finger- 
lings) by E^ovember, but previous to this they have 
been taken from the troughs and placed in ponds or 
large tanks. During the summer of the following 
year they have become yearlings from 6 to 8 inches 
long, and are ready to spawn in the fall. 

It is well to state in connection with hatching 
that the black bass has been found to be one of the 
most difficult of fish to propagate artificially, and 
only within a few years has success been attained. 
It was w^ith great difficulty that the female could be 
stripped of her eggs, and it was found necessary to 
kill and open the male to secure the milt. On this 
account the fish are now placed in specially built 
ponds, properly prepared, the hatching out of the fry 
thus progressing naturally without any artificial aid 
whatever. As soon as possible the young fish are 
separated from the older ones, which prevents the 



16 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

latter from eating them, and enables a much larger 
number to grow to full size than would under nat- 
ural surroundings. 

With all other fresh-water fishes but little diffi- 
culty is found in reaching full success, the methods 
followed being in general quite similar to those fol- 
lowed in the hatching of trout as just described. The 
United States Fish Commission is also engaged ex- 
tensively in hatching out a number of salt-water 
fish, including cod, mackerel, flounder, tautog, had- 
dock, weakfish, sheepshead, and herring. In addi- 
tion, special attention is being given to the propaga- 
tion of the oyster and lobster, since both, the latter 
particularly, are being rapidly exterminated. 

From the foregoing it can be seen that the artifi- 
cial hatching of fish is very successful, and that with- 
out it, and the attendant stocking of the streams with 
young fish in various stages of growth, many of our 
best fish would by this time have almost disappeared. 
The continuation of this good work will prevent the 
occurrence of this calamity. Any of the fish can be 
had without cost from the various hatcheries upon 
proper application to the State Fish Commissioners. 
It is the duty of all fishermen to see that young fish 
are supplied to their nearby waters — that is, the proper 
kind adapted to them. With an allotment planted 
each year, the fishing will continue uniformly good. 




CHAPTER III 



With a little study it 
should not be difficult to dis- 
tinguisli fish, one from another, 
and to designate them by their 



' ^^=^ ' proper names. Unfortunately 

Just caught. : . 

' it is a fact, however, that many 

old fishermen do not make proper distinctions, and, 
either from habit or lack of knowledge, persist in 
misnaming them. It is true that in different parts 
of the various States a certain fish may have a dozen 
different real names. But this should not interfere 
with its right to its true family designation. More- 
over, it is always better to give a fish its proper or 
commonly accepted name, as then no error or mis- 
take can occur. Ko reference is made here to the 
Latin specific and sub-specific designations, but to 
the proper English appellation. The most common 
mistakes are made with different members of the 
salmon family, and with the varieties of pike, pick- 
3 17 



18 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

erel, and bass. It is best, therefore, to describe tiieir 
distinguishing marks and peculiarities in detail, 
which will enable the young iisherman to recognize 
with a little practice the fish he has caught, and to 
designate it properly. 

The most important fish — those that are held in 
the highest estimation at least — are the various mem- 
bers of the salmon family, consisting of the salt-water 
salmon itself and its direct and indirect descendants. 
At the head of all stand the brook, or speckled trout, 
which is most commonly found, the brown trout of 
Europe, and the rainbow trout of California. The 
best distinctive mark of the SalmonidcB, as the family 
is collectively called, is a small fin on the back just 
before the tail. It is called the adipose fin, and is 
not composed of spines or rays, as are all other fins, 
but of flesh or gristle. This fin is a characteristic of 
all the members of the salmon family without excep- 
tion. It is also found on the various kinds of white- 
fish and the smelt, which would indicate their rela- 
tionship to the salmon in the past. The catfishes, 
too, have it, as well as a number of related groups. 

There is no mistaking the salmon among the other 
fishes of the Atlantic. It is similar only to itself. 
In the Atlantic Ocean but one species is found, but 
in the Pacific there are five, known as the king or 
quinnat, the red^ silver, humpback, and dog salmon. 




^..^'i c? 










1 

1 

1 








I 



'^^,0'/ 




20 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

The red salmon, or " rediisli " — or bhie-back, as it is 
usually designated on the Columbia River — is most 
plentiful in Alaska, and is the one mostly used by the 
many canneries from Sitka northward. The king 
salmon is the largest and most valuable, however, and 
is canned in great numbers on the Columbia. It is a 
curious fact that, while the Atlantic salmon takes the 
fly readily in fresh water, its five relatives of the 
Pacific do not. This is because they never feed iu 
fresh water. They are usually netted or speared as. 
in vast schools, they run up the rivers to the spawn- 
ing grounds on the Columbia. Sometimes they are 
caught by means of large buckets attached to wheels, 
which are revolved by the current. These buckets 
scoop up the fish as they ascend, depositing them in 
troughs. To the angler this appears to be a crime, 
but any method of taking fish wholesale is open to 
that criticism. Year by year, from Alaska to Cali- 
fornia, more salmon are caught than are born, and 
each species is on the way toward partial extinction. 

As already stated, the most widely distributed 
and most plentiful of the salmon family in the regions 
of the East generally frequented by anglers — the one 
with which all are familiar — is the brook or speckled 
trout, red -spotted with markings of green. It is 
found from Maine to Georgia in all clear waters 
suitable for its life, westward through the Great 



22 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

Lakes region as far as Minnesota, and in Canada 
from the Labrador peninsula to the Saskatchewan. 
Owing to its strong nature and ability to adapt itself 
to new surroundings, it has been planted in waters to 
which it is not native, and has thriven there wonder- 
fully. Thus it has been successfully transplanted to 
streams in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Wyom- 
ing, and California, and has increased there ; but, 
strangely enough, attempts to introduce it in English 
waters have not been an absolute success. I quote 
on this point Mr. E. B. Marston, editor of the Fish- 
ing Gazette, London : " Millions of fry and yearlings 
of Sahno fontinalis have been put into English 
rivers, and I know of no single instance where the 
attempt to stock a river or stream with them has 
been successful. After a time, not much more than 
a year as a rule, they disappear. I have seen a long 
stretch of a trout stream alive with thousands of 
healthy two-year- and three-year-old fontinalis one 
season, and the next there was not one to be seen ; 
and yet they do well in both this country and in Ger- 
many when kept in trout-breeding ponds, and so our 
fish breeders keep on breeding them and selling them. 
I susj)ect the real secret of their non -success in our 
rivers is that they find the water in the summer 
months too warm for them." 

There is no difl&culty whatever in distinguishing 



THE SALMON, AND MEMBERS OF THAT FAMILY 23 

tlie brook trout from either the rainbow trout or the 
brown trout, or to distinguish the two latter from 
each other. 

There is considerable variety in the color of brook 
trout, caused by sex, age, or local conditions. The 
head, back, sides, and dorsal fin are of a greenish 
color that often merges into a heavy black, under 
which are twisted markings or vermiculations of a 
different shade. There is also a general absence of 
spots on the back. Neither of the other trout men- 
tioned has these twisted markings, but instead both 
have spots on the back, these spots being black, as on 
the salmon, never red. 

Along the middle of the sides of the brook trout 
are varying numbers of bright red spots surrounded 
by cream- or brown-colored areas. The belly is usu- 
ally a bright, clean, creamy white, with often a red 
band low down along the side on the male. The 
lower fins are brown or red, the front edge white, 
bordered with black. Taken altogether, it is by far 
the handsomest of the trout family. 

The rainbow trout is a native of the clear streams 
of California, from which region it was brought to the 
Eastern States. It is known also under the name of 
" California trout." Its transplantation to the eastern 
United States has been markedly successful, for it has 
multiplied there rapidly. Observation and experience 



24 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

justify the belief that the rainbow trout can Be used 
to stock streams formerly inhabited by brook trout, 
but in which the latter can no longer thrive owing to 
changed conditions unfavorable to its habits. The 
rainbow is also adapted to warmer and deeper waters, 
and can live where the brook trout can not. They 
certainly increase more rapidly, as, unlike the brook 
trout, they will not devour their young, nor will 
they take a minnow of any kind unless forced by hun- 
ger, in the absence of other food. 

As is the case with the brook trout, the rainbow 
varies much in coloring, according to the water it 
inhabits, its sex, and age. The back is usually of a 
bluish color, the sides and belly being silvery. Along 
the middle of the side, running the whole length of 
the body, is a narrow, semi-distinct, iridescent red or 
pink stripe. From this marking the fish is pro23erly 
named. Below this band there are usually no spots, 
but above and on the back are a large number of 
plain black ones. It has no colored spots whatever. 

The brown trout is the common trout of Europe, 
known in Germany as " Forelle." It is not necessary 
to give a detailed description of this fish, for the rea- 
son that at present but an insignificant number are 
being taken. Comparatively few waters have thus 
far been stocked, and it is only occasionally that one is 
taken outside. Some years ago a quantity of the eggs 



26 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

of this fish were sent to the United States from both 
England and Germany. These were successfully 
hatched out, and a number of the hatcheries now 
raise some each year. They are much more vora- 
cious than either the brook or rainbow trout, and con- 
stantly devour small trout fry and fish — even their 
own kind. It is not wise, therefore, to plant them in 
the same waters with other trout. They are easily 
distinguished from the brook or rainbow varieties. 
The back and sides are decidedly brown, the back 
having many black spots instead of the vermicula- 
tions of the brook trout. The sides are beautifully 
spotted with red, and the belly is silvery white. 

In shallow streams and rivers, except perhaps dur- 
ing the spawning season, trout of any of the varieties 
rarely exceed two or three pounds in weight ; in fact 
the average would be considerably under one pound. 
In deep-water lakes, such as the Rangeleys of Maine 
and the lakes of the Canadian wilderness, the brook 
trout has been taken of all weights up to and over ten 
pounds. In California waters rainbows of twelve 
pounds have frequently been taken. Brown trout of 
ten to eleven pounds have been caught in hatchery 
waters. 

Another prominent member of the salmon family, 
one especially esteemed as a food fish, is the lake 
trout. It is frequently and improperly called a sal- 



28 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

mon trout, this being a name used in England for a 
large form of trout found in brackish water or in 
the sea. The lake trout is well classed as a northern 
fish, being found in northern lakes only. It rarely, 
if ever, occurs in streams or rivers. The inland lakes 
of Maine, New Hampshire, 'New York, Eastern 
Canada, the chain of the Great Lakes, and westward 
to British Columbia, are the waters it inhabits. 
Where found, it usually is plentiful and of good 
weight, easily averaging from four to ten pounds, 
and often weighing fifteen to twenty, occasionally 
even much more. 

Differing from that of the other trouts, its tail is 
decidedly forked instead of square. Its color is a 
dark gray, and the entire body and fins are covered 
with pale Avhite or grayish spots. Except during 
very early spring and the spawning season (October 
and I^ovember), when it seeks shallow stony bars for 
its beds, the lake trout is decidedly a deep-water fish, 
and is taken only on the bottom of the lakes. It is 
omnivorous, eating everything, and cases are known 
w^iere even corncobs and knives have been found in 
its stomach. After the minnow period it is too for- 
midable to be attacked by other fish, which materially 
accounts for its being plentiful. In addition to its 
prowess it is a very prolific breeder. Much skill and 
patience are required to catch the lake trout, as will 



THE SALMON, AND MEMBERS OF THAT FAMILY 29 

be shown later ; but one is rewarded for his labors, as 
it is a particularly tine table fish. Its flesh is of either 
a light pink or yellow shade, and it is usually boiled. 
With the whitefish it is unquestionably the most 
noted fresh-water food fish. 

The lake trout can readily be recognized from the 
brief description given above. There is no other fish 
that resembles it in any way. 

There are several minor trouts to be mentioned to 
complete the subject, but as they are not at all plenti- 
ful, or are only found in special localities remote from 
the Atlantic seaboard, a detailed description is not 
necessary. Such are the cutthroat of the Rocky 
Mountains and the Pacific coast ; the Tahoe trout ; the 
steelhead trout of California ; the Loch Leveii trout, 
a few of which were introduced by the United States 
Fish Commission ; the blue-back trout of Maine ; the 
red-spotted trout, or Dolly Yarden, of the West; the 
saibling of Europe, and its near relative, the Sunapee, 
or golden trout. The last named is found only in Suna- 
pee Lake, New Hampshire, and one lake in Maine, 
and is in reality one of the most charming of the 
trout family. 

Properly speaking, the grayling should be men- 
tioned in connection with the Salmonicloe. Unfortu- 
nately, its habitat is confined to a very limited area of 
country, and it is therefore known to but comparatively 



30 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS ANI) CAPTURE 

few anglers. Primarily it is native to the rivers and 
streams of Alaska, but it is found also in some of the 
streams on the west side of the Yellowstone Park, and 
in the rivers of northern Michigan. In Michigan, 
however, it is being rapidly exterminated by anglers, 
and to a far greater extent by sawmills. It is beyond 
question one of the most beautiful fish found in the 
United States, not even excepting the male Sunapee 
trout. Its color is a brilliant, purplish gray, the sides 
of the head having bright bluish and bronze reflec- 
tions. The fins have alternate rows of rose, dark, 
and green colored lines or spots. It is impossible to 
describe properly the beauty of this fish ; it must be 
seen to understand IN'^ature's painting. Being also an 
especially game, hard fighter, it easily takes its place 
in the foremost rank of the salmon, or more especially 
the trout family. 

The different whitefish that are supposed to have 
descended from the salmon in the past are a superior 
food fish, but are caught only in nets. On this 
account no further mention or description of them is 
necessary. The lake whitefish, the cisco, or herring, 
and the round whitefish, or frost fish, comprise the 
family. 

It is well to state that all the small-scaled, red- 
spotted trout are known in England as " chars." The 
meaning of the name is " red," or " blood " ; hence, 



THE SALMON, AND MEMBERS OF THAT FAMILY 31 

also, " blood-colored,'' or " red belly." As this color 
is found to a greater or less extent in all the trouts, 
the appropriateness of the appellation is easily seen. 
This review of the salmon family would be far 
from complete were the subject of sea trout and a 
description of the ouananiche or so-called landlocked 
salmon omitted. These varieties are coming into 
increased prominence through the large number of 
fishermen now seeking them, and as comparatively 
little is known regarding them, they are worthy of a 
chapter to themselves. 



CHAPTER TV 



THE OUANANICHE AND THE SEA TROUT 




A bit of Lake St. John. 



The ouananiclie, or land- 
locked salmon of Canada, has 
come considerably to the fore 
in the past few years, and be- 
yond question it is the most- 
talked-of "fish among anglers 
to-day. Its natural home is 
in Lake St. John, Province 
of Quebec, and its tributary waters, as well as in 
some of the rivers of the Labrador peninsula. A 
variety of the salmon closely related to it is the ordi- 
nary landlocked salmon of the Maine lakes. The 
ouananiclie of Canada is more properly a rough- 
water fish, generally found in the rivers, the smaller 
portion being caught in the lakes ; but in Maine the 
landlocked salmon is almost entirely taken in the 
dead water of lakes. 

The name ouananiclie is of Indian origin, proba- 
bly given to it by the Montagnais Indians of Lake 
32 



THE OUANAISICHE AND THE SEA TROUT 33 

St. John. Properly translated, it means " onanan," 
" salmon;' " iclie,'' the diminutive " little ''— " little 
salmon." To call the fish landlocked is an error and 
a misnomer, as it is to some extent anadromous — that 
is, it can and does seek the sea. Lake St. John is 
open to the ocean through its outlet — the Saguenay 
Eiver — which empties into the St. Lawrence. The 
lower Saguenay is entirely salt, and the ouananiche 
are frequently taken near its mouth, thus proving 
their ability to live in salt water. 

The Lake St. John fish vrill average in weight 
from 2J to 3^ pounds, with not over 8 or 8^ pounds 
recorded as the largest taken there. In Maine the 
average weight is considerably greater, with a record 
of 20 pounds, and even more. This difference in 
weight may result from a difference in species or 
environment. The latter is probably the cause. 

The ouananiche is the closest relative of the salt- 
water salmon known ; in reality there is not much 
difference. Placed side by side and compared, it will 
be found that their contour, color, markings — in fact, 
their whole general appearance, excepting size — is 
very similar. The salmon, of course, is taken very 
much larger, varying in different localities. A good 
average is about 20 pounds, but fish of 30 or 40 
pounds have often been killed. The home of the 
salmon is in the sea, the fish seeking fresh-water 



A 



THE OUANANICHE AND THE SEA TROUT 35 

rivers only in the summer to spawn ; the habitat of 
the oiiananiche is naturally in fresh water, and the 
only differences between the two are those resulting 
from the difference in habits. 

When first taken from the water the ouananiche 
has a beautiful peacock-blue cast of color, which dis- 
appears at death, changing to the light-gray back and 
sides and silvery belly of the salmon. A number of 
black spots are found on the gill covers, and the St. 
Andrew's cross markings on the upper part of the 
body are numerous. 

Pound for pound, the ouananiche can greatly out- 
fight the salmon, and none of the fresh-water fish can 
equal it in this respect. The black bass approaches 
it the nearest, but never equals it. A good lusty 3- 
or 4- pound fish requires fully ten minutes or more to 
be tired out and killed, and he is a fortunate fisher- 
man, indeed, who does not lose nearly as many as he 
saves. Their leaps from the water are not only con- 
stant, but something wonderful in height, and will 
average eight or ten in number before they are 
brought to net. 

The ouananiche possesses particularly large fins 
and tail, which increase materially its fighting and 
jumping powers, and especially enable it to inhabit 
the rough, swift-flowing waters, where it is found. 
There is never any difiiculty in distinguishing it when 



3G FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

caught, owing to its identity with the salmon, as 
explained. 

In 1875 the United States Fish Commission, rec- 
ognizing the especial value of the ouananiche as a 
game and food fish, commenced hatching it, and since 
that date has steadily increased its activity in that 
direction. Several of the fish commissions of the 
States have also undertaken its propagation with 
splendid results. A large number of lakes have been 
stocked, and young fish are now frequently taken. 
But a short time will intervene before the ouananiche 
will be found in many places. The Maine variety is 
used for hatching, and, while it differs somewhat 
from that of Lake St. John, being a deep-, instead of 
a rough-water fish, it will soon be the most sought 
after of all fresh- water fish, not even excepting the 
black bass. 

It has usually been believed that the ouananiche 
is entirely distinct from the salt-water salmon, but 
now it is generally considered to be a local variety. 
Why it does not seek the sea, as is the case with its 
close relative, can not be explained, unless by attrib- 
uting it to a lack of migratory instinct. A peculiar- 
ity of the ouananiche that is difiicult to explain io 
that it is so much smaller than the salmon. The only 
possible reason to offer is that the fresh waters it 
inhabits do not afford as plentiful food as does the 



THE OUANANICHE AND THE SEA TROUT 37 

ocean. The flesh of the ouananiche, while of the 
same color and texture as that of the salmon, is much 
leaner, not having the thick layers of fat found in 
the latter when just run up from the sea. A possi- 
ble explanation of this may be found in the fact that 
the salmon does not feed at all from the time it 
enters fresh water until it again reaches the ocean. 
Therefore JN^ature provides it with this great quantity 
of fat to live upon. 

The methods of artificially hatching the ouanan- 
iche vary but little, if at all, from those followed 
with the other Sahnonidce. Perhaps not quite so 
large a proportion of the eggs are hatched out as in 
the case of the other species, for the reason that a 
large number are diseased in some way. The occur- 
rence of white eggs among the normally colored 
healthy ones is very common, and occasionally the 
entire lot from a fish is defective. This may be 
caused by disease or lack of development. 

Many anglers are now turning their attention to 
catching sea trout, either on account of the novelty 
of the sport or because they believe that they are 
taking a new variety of fish. That there is novelty 
in such fishing can not be denied, but that the fish is 
new in any way certainly can be. For a number of 
years there was much diversity of opinion among 
authorities as to the identity of this member of the 



38 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

salmon family, which now seems to be settled. There 
is no doubt that the sea trout and the brook trout are 
one and the same fish. It is broadly claimed that 
any of the trout can live as well in salt water as they 
can in fresh, and everything seems to prove the 
claim to be correct. All trout grow to a larger size 
in salt water than in the brooks or rivers, and they 
lose their spots in the sea, becoming pale and silvery 
in color. 

Brook trout originally were found at a distance 
not greater than three hundred miles back from the 
ocean in waters tributary to it. Where conditions of 
temperature were favorable, they invariably sought 
salt water. When transplanted to, or found in, in- 
land waters, they have adapted themselves to fresh- 
water conditions as well. 

All members of the trout family require cold 
water for their habitat, averaging about 68° or less. 
Therefore they must either seek the cold water of 
the ocean or, if barred from that by long stretches of 
warm-river waters, they must seek the cold, small 
tributaries high up in the hills. While trout are 
found in the highland streams south of New York as 
far as South Carolina, they are not able to seek the 
sea on account of the warm, intervening waters. In 
Long Island streams all trout are seagoing. From 
that point along the coast northward sea trout are 



THE OUANANICHE AND THE SEA TROUT 39 

rarely, if ever, found until the northern shores of 
Maine and New Brunswick are reached. All rivers 
flowing into the St. Lawrence as far west as Quebec, 
as well as those entering the Saguenay and those of 
the Labrador coast, are especially noted for most ex- 
cellent sea-trout fishing, and are the favorite resorts 
of anglers. 

To quote from Mr. George Brown Goode : " The 
identity of the Canadian sea trout and the brook 
trout is still denied by many, though the decision of 
competent authorities has settled the question beyond 
doubt.-' The bfest proof of the identity of the two 
fish is found in a test made a few years since at the 
Government salmon hatchery at Tadousac, which is 
located at the mouth of the Saguenay River. Brook 
trout were taken from inland waters absolutely land- 
locked from the sea and placed in a salt-water pond 
at Tadousac. Through close observation it was 
found that in from two to four wrecks the color of 
the fish changed to a dull gray, and the red spots 
faded to a dark-cream shade. The fish were then 
left in salt water several months, and were then 
placed in a fresh-water inclosure, again being sub- 
jected to close observation. Within two to four 
weeks they changed back to their original vivid col- 
orings, the red spots becoming as bright as when the 
fish were first taken from their native water. The 



40 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

transferring from fresh to salt water did not seem to 
distress them in any way, nor was any change of any 
kind noted in them other than that of color. 

As a further argument it can be added that the 
rainbow or California trout have free access to the 
sea, and are frequently taken in salt water along the 
Pacific coast. 

In all ways the sea trout corresponds with the 
brook trout when taken in fresh water. If taken in 
salt water, there will only be the variation of coloring 
mentioned above. 



CHAPTER Y 



THE BASS FAMILY 




jumping. 



Following the salmon 
family, the one next in impor- 
tance to the fisherman — that 
• of the basses — should be de- 
scribed. There are several 
kinds worthy of mention, the 
two principal ones being the small- and large-mouth 
black bass. To the beginner, at least, it is difficult 
to distinguish one from the other, as their general 
appearance is quite similar. There is quite a dif- 
ference to be found, however, upon close compari- 
son, and considerable variation exists in their nature, 
habits, and fighting qualities. All members of the 
family are often found in the same waters, and at 
one time and place one can take with the same bait 
small- and large-mouth, calico or strawberry bass and 
rock bass. 

The large- and small-mouth bass are probably the 
most widely distributed variety of fish throughout 

41 



42 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

the country. This is especially true of the large- 
mouth, whose natural range is from the Great Lakes 
south to Florida, Texas, and Mexico, and west as far 
as Dakota and IS'ebraska. The small -mouth was 
originally found in Canada, and in the United States 
from Lake Champlain to Manitoba and south to 
Florida and Louisiana, and across Texas to Chihua- 
hua. Both kinds seem able to stand great extremes 
of temperature, providing the changes are not too 
sudden. As they seem to thrive under almost all 
conditions, it has been comparatively easy to distrib- 
ute them. They have been successfully planted in 
all parts of the United States where they were not 
native, and in the waters of England, France, and 
Germany as well. Calico and rock bass are found 
naturally in practically the same waters as the small- 
mouth. The latter especially has been transplanted 
quite generally. 

The natural food of the black bass varies greatly, 
being markedly influenced by the weather and the 
temperature of the water. They are very voracious, 
and devour their own kind and all other fish indis- 
criminately. Their natural food comprises crabs, 
minnows, frogs, worms, dobsons, tadpoles, crickets, 
and flies. At times both the large- and small-mouth, 
as all fishermen know, absolutely refuse to take any 
kind of bait whatever, while at other times they bite 



atau..a,.„v-,«.-|"l!- 



t 




fi^.^ |i%r^4 



M 



,^ 




44 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

greedily at almost anything. Small snakes, rats, 
and pieces of vegetables have been found in their 
stomachs. 

The black bass watch over their young fish until 
after they have passed the fry stage, and will attack 
savagely any other fish approaching. Later on, these 
young fish furnish food for larger bass, probably for 
their own progenitors as well. 

Because they are distributed so generally over the 
country, black bass have received a multiphcity of 
local names, especially in the South. The large- 
mouth is frequently known as the Oswego bass, lake 
bass, green bass, yellow bass, moss bass, bayou bass, 
trout, jumper, and chub. The small-mouth is desig- 
nated as lake bass, brown bass, ninny bass, hog bass, 
black perch, trout perch, brown perch, and jumper. 

With the exception of the ouananiche, the black 
bass is the gamest and hardest fighter of all fresh- 
water fishes. 'No matter by what method it is 
caught, it makes a very hard struggle for life. 
Owing to their hard, long-continued fighting, a large 
number of those hooked are lost, even with the most 
delicate handling by the most expert fishermen. 

There seems to be a variety of opinion in regard 
to the respective fighting qualities of the small- and 
large-mouth bass, many fishermen claiming that they 
should be placed on an equality. This may be true 



THE BASS FAMILY 45 

in the warm waters of the South, but in the colder 
waters of the Korth it is not. The small-mouth can 
well be compared to a bulldog, as it will fight to the 
last without seeming to tire out. The large-mo iith, 
on the other hand, fights hard for a short time with 
the same strength as will its relative, but is then 
taken to net with only a few additional spasmodic 
rushes. The expert fisherman can generally tell 
which of the two has taken his hook long before he 
sees it. 

While both species inhabit the same waters, they 
are usually taken on decidedly different bottoms, the 
small-mouth being found on stony bars or shoals, 
varying in depth from two or three to forty or fifty 
feet, while the large-mouth is generally found in the 
vicinity of weeds or rushes and on muddy bottom. 
As the cold weather approaches, the latter seeks 
deeper water, but always in bays that contain weeds 
and soft mud. It usually spawns in shallow water, 
among weeds and rushes bordering the shores; the 
small-mouth invariably spawns on stony or gravel 
bottom. There is no question, therefore, that the 
latter is by far the cleaner fish. 

There are three material differences between the 
two varieties that readily distinguish them. The 
most noticeable is the size of the mouth, which is 
much larger in one than in the other. In the small- 



46 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

mouth, the end of the maxillary, or upper jaw, is just 
below the eye, not reaching quite to the rear of it. 
In the iarge-mouth, the maxillary extends some dis- 
tance back of the eye, making the mouth very much 
larger. The second distinctive variation is in the 
scales. In the large-mouth these are from a quarter 
to a half larger than in the small-mouth. The for- 
mer, moreover, has ten rows of scales on the cheeks, 
the other seventeen. The third difference is in the 
color and markings. The large-mouth has a dark 
or blackish green back, greenish silvery sides, and 
a white belly with a dark band of color extending 
along the sides, which occasionally breaks up and 
grows dim as the fish grows old. 

The small-mouth is a golden green, with an 
almost yellowish cast on both back and sides ; the 
belly is white. Dark spots or streaks are found in 
irregular vertical lines on the sides, but no lateral 
stripe. A less noticeable difl'erence is in the dorsal 
fin. In the small-mouth variety it is quite high and 
arched, not deeply notched. In the other it is not 
so high, and quite deeply notched. 

In point of weight the two varieties usually aver- 
age about the same in northern waters, the large- 
mouth, as ordinarily taken, being, perhaps, slightly 
heavier. Throughout southern waters, however, it 
greatly exceeds any known specimens of the small- 



48 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

mouth by many pounds. There 5 to 8 pounds are 
far from being uncommon, and 10 to 20 pounds, and 
a trifle over, have been occasionally caught. Those 
taken in northern waters will range ' from 2 to 5 
pounds. The largest small-mouth bass of which there 
is any record weighed 10 and 11 pounds, and only 
one 13 pounds — all taken in New York State. The 
average usually caught are from 2 to 4 pounds, wdth 
an occasional fish of 5 or 6 pounds. Their size and 
weight seem to depend upon the quality and quantity 
of food ; when both are right they are a very fast- 
growing fish. 

As stated in the chapter on hatching, black bass 
are very diflficult to propagate artificially, and even 
when the young fish are separated from the adults, 
the stronger devour the weaker. Fortunately, I^a- 
ture seems to raise large numbers, and it can scarcely 
be questioned that the bass is one of the most numer- 
ous of the game fish found in our waters to-day. 
They rapidly destroy and drive out all kinds of trout, 
so that great care should be taken not to plant any 
in trout-inhabited waters. 

Next in importance of the bass family is the 
calico, or strawberry bass. This variety is found 
in practically the same waters as the black bass, 
but not quite so far south. It is generally beHeved 
that they caii not live in as warm waters. They are 



50 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

very similar in shape and appearance to a siinfisli, 
being short in body, with a high back — in fact, quite 
round in contour. The usual color is a very light 
silver-green, with irregular mottled spots all over the 
body, and fins of a dark-green or olive shade. Yery 
frequently these fish have a decided pinkish color, to 
which they owe the name of "strawberry." They 
are a comparatively small fish, averaging from three 
quarters to one pound, three pounds being on record 
as the largest. Almost always in schools, they are 
usually taken in June, July, and August, but very 
few being caught earlier or later. They have a 
remarkably small mouth, are fairly game fighters 
for a little time, and are very good fish for the table. 
The most disliked of the bass family, the hete 
noire of fishermen, is the rock bass, quite as familiarly 
known under the name of "goggle-eye" or "red- 
eye." Wherever and whenever one fishes for black 
bass, there will be found tliis nuisance to take one's 
bait and get hooked. Especially is this true when 
minnows are being used, and one has only a few. 
They are a small fish averaging from one half a pound 
to three quarters of a pound, rarely reaching one 
pound. While fairly good for the table, they are infre- 
quently eaten, perhaps chiefly because of the dislike in 
which they are held. The average fisherman throws 
them back with disgust. In shape, they are short and 



r 



,if^^-.:.. 



f''!iii!%. 



^ 




' -^<r^r-^ - 





;@CSJ^^- 



\ ^i./ 1 






52 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

more round than the black bass ; they have an olive- 
green color with a black spot on the end of each 
scale, giving the appearance of a broken stripe. In 
reality, they are rather an attractive-looking fish. 
They will be recognized at sight, and the recogni- 
tion will be very frequent ; therefore it is not neces- 
sary to give a more detailed description of them. 

Another member of the bass family not generally 
distributed, but admired by anglers where found, is 
the white bass, known also as the striped bass and 
silver bass. This species is found only in the Great 
Lakes and the rivers and lakes tributary to them. 
They are identical in form with the black bass, but 
their color is a silvery white. Their peculiarity lies 
in their stripings, possessing, as they do, five or six 
black stripes running lengthwise on the back and 
sides, with usually two or three broken ones below. 
Their average weight will range from one to three 
pounds, and they compare favorably with the large- 
mouth bass in fighting qualities. A species of this fish 
called the yellow bass is found in the Mississippi River 
and its tributaries. They seem to be similar in all 
ways to the white bass, except in color, as indicated 
by their name. There is no difl&culty in recognizing 
the white bass on sight, as in the limited territory 
where it is taken there is no other fish similar to 
it in any way. In the estimation of anglers these 



54 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

fish nearly, if not quite, equal the black bass in 
all ways. 

To exhaust the subject of the basses completely, 
the sunfish family, to which they belong, should be 
fully described. This would be entirely useless, how- 
ever, as the sunfish are not only small, but not sought 
after by fishermen, possessing neither game nor food 
qualities. They are usually beautifully colored and 
marked, which constitutes their only interest. These 
fish are widely distributed, and almost every one can 
recall that his first fishing experience consisted of 
angling for "pumpkin seeds," by which name they 
are most commonly known. 

A peculiarity of bass, the black bass especially, is 
their hibernating nature when cold weather and cold 
water come on. When the winter season approaches, 
they become more or less dormant, and seek the deep- 
est water possible. Unless it is very deep, they bur- 
row into the mud and remain there during the winter. 
In such circumstances they seem able to go with- 
out food for several months. Even when placed 
in aquariums, they remain almost motionless during 
the cold season, and refuse food. Another character- 
istic of black bass is the length of time they can live 
when caught. Instances are known where they have 
lived for several hours after l)eing taken from the 
water, regaining their wonted liveliness in a few 



THE BASS FAMILY 55 

moments after being put back in their native 
element. 

All of the basses are indeed hardy, and, with the 
exception of trout, are the fish most sought after by 
anglers. 



CHAPTEK YI 



MUSKALLUNGE, PIKE, PICKEREL, PIKE PERCH 




A place for pickerel. 



A GROUP of fishes favor- 
ite with anglers, which are 
usually found in great num- 
bers, are the muskallunge or 
muscalonge, the pike, pick- 
erel, and pike perch, form- 
ing a noble quartet of game 
fish. Their range is far smaller than that of the 
black bass, owing to the fact that thej are not to 
any extent a warm- water fish. They are very plen- 
tiful in Canadian waters, and in those of the United 
States from New England along the Great Lakes to 
the middle West, and south to Maryland or the Caro- 
linas, which mark their natural limit. All are con- 
sidered as game fish, the muskallunge and pike perch 
especially so. These two are extensively hatched and 
propagated by the Government and some State Fish 
Commissions ; the pike and pickerel are not. There 
are many other game fishes of more importance that 
56 



MUSKALLUNGE, PIKE, PICKEREL, PIKE PERCH 57 

call for much attention, and being prolific breeders 
naturally, this variety has been neglected. 

The resemblance between the muskallunge, pike, 
and pickerel is very close in general appearance and 
contour, but in coloring and marking there is some 
variation, and in the matter of size and weight there 
is considerable difference. There are a great many 
fishermen who fail to make a distinction between 
these three, and persist in calling them all pickerel, 
just as the pike perch is generally called a pike. One 
needs to keep in mind only the few points given 
below to distinguish these fish properly at sight. 

The muskallunge is the greatest of the four, both 
in size and fighting qualities, but is not as generally 
distributed as the others. The name seems to be 
derived from that given it by the Indians of Canada, 
" maskinonge," the best translation of which is " nasty 
fish." ]^ot " nasty" meaning " vile " or " bad," but 
an especially difficult or " nasty " fish to catch. This 
is, indeed, a most proper name for it, for one of good 
size on the other end of a line presents a most com- 
plicated problem before it is brought safely to net. 
It is a particularly large fish, reaching as high as 70 
or 80 pounds in weight, with an average of from 20 
to 40 pounds. It is found usually in water ranging 
from 5 or 6 feet to 15 feet in depth, especially where 
the bottom is covered with long weeds. In these it 



58 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

lies hidden, darting out to seize the large or small iish 
that form its principal food. It might well be termed 
a fresh-water shark. The mouth, when open, is very 
large, armed w^ith sharp, formidable teeth, and the 
jaws are wonderfully strong. 

As already stated, the muskallunge, pike, and 
pickerel are similar in shape, and they have the same 
number and kind of fins, placed alike on each. The 
body or base color of back and sides is a green and 
yellow, constantly varying in the different fish. Fre- 
quently the back and sides w^ill both be either a very 
dark, medium, or light green, or the color of the 
back may shade into a greenish yellow on the sides. 
The belly varies from white to cream with all. Here 
the similarity of the color of the muskallunge to that 
of the pike and pickerel ceases. With the muskal- 
lunge the markings are black or brown, and are 
either round spots or vertical irregular blotches or 
splashes Occasionally they may not have any mark- 
ings whatever, but that rarely occurs. Aside from 
the markings, the simplest and quickest way to dis- 
tinguish these fish is by the scales on the head. 
There is a very narrow strip on the top only of the 
cheek and gill covers. The other fish of the family 
can be distinguished by noticeable variations from 
this. "With the pike the entire cheek and the upper 
half only of the gill covers have scales. On the 







X 





\ 








4 




^,. 




'■ 


' - 




4 


1 




1 



bp 

3 

3 



V^ 



60 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 



pickerel the whole 
of both the cheeks 
and gill covers is 
entirely covered. 
These distinctions 
are shown in the 
accompanying illus- 
trations. This meth- 
od of recognizing the 
varieties is absolute- 
ly reliable and accu- 
rate. As both the 
cheek and gill covers 
are quite large even 
in small fish, there 
is no difficulty what- 
ever in noticing these 
characteristics. 

It can be stated, 
without any contr 
versy or argument 
that the true pickerel 
has rarely exceeded 
5 or 6 pounds in 
weight, while the 




o- 4mm 



Pickerel. 



average is usually from 2 to 4 pounds. It is proper, 
therefore, in almost all instances, to call any pickerel 



MUSKALLUNGE, PIKE, PICKEREL, PIKE PERCH 61 

above 5 pounds a pike, as that is what it is, the scale 
test on the head proving it. Pike weighing from 40 
to 50 pounds has been taken in Canada and in some 
of the Western States, but tlirough the United States 
generally the average will run from 4 to 8 pounds, 
with occasional exceptions, up to 20 or 25 pounds. 

The name pickerel is used as a diminutive in 
England, where pike are plentifully found. There 
the fish is properly a young pike, but in the United 
States it is an entirely distinct variety of the pike 
family. This is correct, since it is a different fish, as 
is shown by the scale markings on the head, the dif- 
ferent body markings, and the fact that it is limited 
in size and weight. 

While, as a rule, the pike is differently marked 
from the pickerel, it varies in this respect consider- 
ably, being more distinguishable in some cases than 
in others. Frequently the difference is slight, thus 
making it difficult to recognize it in this way. A 
general rule can be given which can be relied upon in 
the majority of instances, but not always. It can be 
generally stated that the pike has a greenish-yellow 
back and sides, varying from dark to light in differ- 
ent fish, with numerous yellow spots dotted over the 
entire body. These spots are practically round, as 
though made with the end of the finger dipped in 
yellow paint. The pickerel also has spots of the 



62 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS ANB CAPTURE 

same color, but they are oblong, or a long oval, run- 
ning along the side, never vertically. These mark- 
ings are so plentiful and close together that they 
almost seem to be the body color, with narrow black 
or dark-green separations that follow the irregularly 
shaped contour of the spots. On the pike the yellow 
spots are not surrounded by any areas of color, but 
simply appear irregularly against the dark body 
shades, as though applied with the finger, as stated. 
In the case of the pickerel, it would seem as though 
the body color were yellow, divided up into irregular 
elliptical divisions of varying size, made with a brush 
dipped in dark paint. 

The true pike is found not only in American 
waters, but generally throughout Europe. It is 
known in England by the same name as with us; 
in Germany as the "Hecht,-' in Sweden as the 
" Gadda," in Italy as the " Luccio," and in France 
as the " Brochet." The French name is also applied 
to it in Canada, especially in the Province of Quebec, 
and about Lake Superior. In European countries? 
however, the muskallunge and the true pickerel are 
never found, both being pre-eminently American. 
While here the pike is considered by many to be a 
fairly good food fish, in Europe it is especially 
prized. Walton gives much space to a description 
of it, and ends with directions how to "roast him 





} 





^-0 






V.V 




04 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

when caught," telling us that " when thus prepared 
he is choicely good — too good for any but anglers 
or honest men." 

The fourth member of the group, the pike perch, 
is worthy of especial mention. This fish is found 
in the same waters with the pike and pickerel, and 
far north in Canada. It is most commonly known 
as the " wall-eyed pike," from the fact that the eyes 
are very large and protruding. It is also known as a 
" yellow pike," and in Canada as a " dore." Nearly 
all writers have endeavored to have it designated by 
its correct name, pike perch, but fishermen seem to 
pay no attention to it, clinging to the old name, pike. 
This is entirely incorrect, as the fish does not belong 
to the pike but to the perch family, as can readily 
be seen by comparing the two in the illustrations. 
The most noticeable difference is that the pike has 
one dorsal fin, while the pike perch has two. Its 
general color is lighter and brighter, with yellow 
splashes running in all directions. Its head is much 
shorter, and the body much larger in diameter — in 
fact, there is no comparison to be made between 
them in general outline, color, or appearance. 

The pike perch spawn in April and May, and 
are very prolific, a medium-sized fish yielding from 
100,000 to 200,000 eggs. They hatch out in about 
fifteen days, and the fry grow rapidly. They are 



MUSKALLUNGE, PIKE, PICKEREL, PIKE PERCH 65 

decidedly a game fish, being hard, histj fighters 
when liooked. Feeding almost entirely on other 
live fish, and being generally caught on marl, sand, 
or gravel bottom, they are unquestionably a clean 
fish, and a highly prized one for the table, ranking 
about equal v^ith the whitefish and lake trout. 

It is a very difficult matter to locate these fish 
when angling for them, as they are very migratory, 
constantly moving about — one day in shallow water 
6 to 10 feet deep, and the next in water 40 to 60 
feet deep. They vary considerably in weight. In 
the smaller lakes and rivers they average from 2 to 
6 pounds, with an occasional one of 8 or 10 pounds. 
In the large lakes 10 to 20 pounds, and even 25 
pounds, are common. They are caught all through 
the open season, biting seemingly as well at one 
time as another. Large numbers are taken through 
the ice, and they will take live bait on a set line 
better at night than during the day — in fact, they 
can be caught by angling after dark long after all 
other o^ame fish have ceased bitins^. 

Some of the State Fish Commissions, notably that 
of I^ew York, long since recognized the value of the 
pike perch both as a game and a food fish, and have 
been artificially hatching them. For several years 
they did not have the success met with in other 
fish, but many difiiculties have been overcome, and 



66 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

great quantities of fry are now being hatched and 
planted each year. 

Of the four fish mentioned in this chapter, the 
pike perch appeals most strongly to the fisherman. 
While not as large, and consequently not as hard a 
fighter as the muskallunge, it is more plentiful. As 
fighters, the pike and pickerel should not be placed 
in the same class with the others. While undoubt- 
edly game in a measure, they do not bear comparison. 
For all-round satisfaction to the angler in the way of 
sport, fighting qualities, number caught, and value for 
food, the best of the four is the pike perch. 




CHAPTEE yil 

MISCELLANEOUS FRESH -WATER FISH 

With the description of 
the pike family, the list of 
so-called game fish is practi- 
cally completed, that is, so 
far as fresh-water fishes are 

still fishing. 

in question. There are many 
other varieties worthy of mention that anglers fre- 
quently seek, and which are often taken when one 
is angling for other fish. Some of these are particu- 
larly hard fighters, and may well he considered as 
game, even though but little attention is paid to 
tliem by Fish Commissions or fishermen generally. 
The list of what might be called ordinary fishes 
consists of the following : yellow perch, white perch, 
carp, both scale and leather back, bullheads and cat- 
fish, sheepshead or drum, and ling. The two latter 
varieties afford great sport to the angler, as, when 
hooked, they fight constantly and to the very last. 
While all are more or less widely distributed and well 

67 



68 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

known, tbe perches, carps, bnlllieads and catfish are 
especially so, and are much sought after. 

The yellow perch, sometimes known as the ringed 
perch and striped perch, is one of the very best known 
fresh-water fish in this country, being found in all of 
the States east of the Alleghany Mountains and as far 
south as Georgia. They also inhabit the Great 
Lakes, and some of the northern rivers and lakes as 
far west as Minnesota. While they are taken in both 
lakes and rivers, their natural home is in the former, 
and there they are found most plentifully. Perch are 
most strikingly marked, and will attract especial atten- 
tion, even when surrounded by many other fishes. 
The body color is a bright golden yellow, the back a 
decided greenish bronze, with a yellowish white belly. 
Six or eight black colored bars fully half an inch wide 
extend from the back midway down the sides. The 
lower fins are bright red or orange, very similar to 
those of the brook trout, while the dorsal fins and 
tail are green. The back, from the head to the dor- 
sal fin, is arched or hump-backed, rather detracting 
from their appearance. They are properly a small 
fish and are usually taken about 8 to 10 inches long, 
with an average of about f of a pound in weight. In 
some waters particularly adapted to their growth they 
have been known to reach 2 pounds. 

Perch, when skinned, make a most excellent pan 



^ 




YO FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

fish, the flavor being very fine. This is due to the 
fact that thej usually subsist on live food. Thej 
are found at different depths according to the season, 
varying from 5 or 6 feet to 15 or 20 feet, generally 
being taken upon gravel or stony bottoms in the 
vicinity of weeds. They take the hook readily, and, 
as large numbers can be caught, are a great favorite 
with anglers. The perch can not be equaled as a 
pan fish, when skinned and properly cooked. 

Perch have been propagated by the United States 
Fish Commission, and transplanted to the waters of 
the extreme Western States with great success. The 
method of propagation is different from that followed 
in the case of other fish. The eggs are neither arti- 




Yellow Perch eggs. 

ficially taken nor impregnated, but the ripe fish are 
placed in ponds, and the naturally impregnated eggs 
taken and hatched artificially. The fish being so 
generally abundant and the natural supply seeming 



MISCELLANEOUS FRESH-WATER FISH 71 

to increase rather than diminish, but little propaga- 
tion is now required. The naturally fertilized eggs 
are very remarkable, as, when deposited, they remain 
in a long strip, having vertical folds like those of an 
accordion, and can be compressed in a similar way. 
The strip rapidly becomes longer and frequently 
reaches a length of from 2 to 6 feet, a size many 
times longer than the fish that deposited it. The 
spawning season is in March and April, but the perch 
are not protected by law at any time. 

Another fish, that is always a favorite in its 
home waters, is the white perch, which, by the way, 
is not at all related to the yellow perch. Properly a 
salt-water fish, they are usually found in brackish 
or fresh waters, about the time the shad ascend the 
rivers to spawn. They are taken only in rivers that 
flow into the sea, and are found from South Carolina 
to IN'ova Scotia. They lurk about clay or muddy 
bottoms early in the season, but a little later are 
found near weeds or rocks and old stone and wooden 
piers. The date of their departure to the sea is un- 
known. While not a large fish, their quality is good, 
as is that of the yellow variety, and they make just 
as fine a pan fish. In shape this perch is very similar 
to the black bass ; its color is a silvery white without 
any noteworthy markings. It is shorter and wider 
than the yellow perch, weighing practically the same 



MISCELLANEOUS FRESH-WATER FISH Y3 

— about f of a pound. Where it is found no similar 
fish will be taken, so that it will be recognized at 
sight. It is not propagated artificially. A most noted 
river for white perch is the Potomac, in which im- 
mense numbers are taken annually. 

The carps, which are related to the American 
fishes called suckers, have become quite plentiful all 
through the States, and should be familiar to all 
anglers. They are native to China, but were brought 
to this country originally from Germany, the first 
shipment, amounting to some three hundred and fifty 
young fish, arriving in 1877. That they have become 
so plentiful from such a small beginning, and in such 
a short time, indicates that they are very prolific. In 
fact, one weighing from 4 to 5 pounds will contain 
between 400,000 and 500,000 eggs. There are three 
varieties of carp, known as the scale carp, mirror carp, 
and leather-back carp, the first and last varieties only 
being found in this country. 

The scale carp is the original form, and, as the 
name indicates, its body is covered with scales. The 
mirror carp is a species with three or four rows of 
extraordinarily large, bright scales running along the 
sides, the balance of the body being covered with skin 
free of scales. The leather-back has usually a few 
coarse scales along the back, or none at all, and is cov- 
ered by a quite thick skin. The color of all is brown, 



MISCELLANEOUS FRESH- WATER, FISH 75 

with an olive shade, the bellj being white, orange, or 
yellow. Like the sucker family, they have no teeth 
in the jaw, showing that they do not prey upon other 
fish. Their food consists of vegetation, offal, seeds, 
worms, swill — in fact, almost anything, with a strong 
desire for the eggs of other fish. 

It is a grave mistake to place carp in confined 
ponds with fish of any value whatever. While they 
do not attack the fish themselves, as just stated, they 
do devour their eggs to such an extent that they will 
eventually destroy them entirely. In this regard 
they show their similarity to all other bottom fish — 
they are egg or spawn destroyers. While naturally a 
pond or dead-water fish, carj? are often taken in rivers 
and lakes, but simply because they can find there the 
quiet bays and muddy bottom they require. There 
is no question but that the carp can live in waters 
where no other food fish are able to exist. They 
thrive splendidly in muddy ponds and slough holes, 
and will live in small holes filled with water when 
left there after the overflow of a stream. They are 
also distinctly a hibernating fish, large numbers of 
them banding together and filling holes they excavate 
in the mud, where they will lie semi-dormant without 
eating from October to March. 

The carps grow very fast, attaining a weight of 
from 3 to 4 pounds in three years. They have grown 



MISCELLANEOUS FRESH- WATER FISH Y7 

SO rapidly in America, wherever planted, that they 
can now be taken in almost any waters in the Eastern, 
Middle, and Southern States. While averaging small, 
abont 3 to 8 pounds, they are occasionally taken of 
from 15 to 25 pounds. In Germany carp of 50 
pounds and over have been caught. 

Of the bullheads or catfish we have numerous 
species, there being very little distinction or difference 
between them, except in size. All have the numer- 
ous long horns about the mouth, and the long, sharp 
spines at the front of the dorsal and pectoral fins. 
They are the most abundant fish found, occupying all 
fresh waters east of the Rocky Mountains naturally. 
The whole family are voracious and indiscriminate 
feeders, eating any kind of animal substance, dead 
or alive, and are especially destructive to fish eggs. 
They are extremely tenacious of life, living for a very 
long time out of water, and are able to resist impuri- 
ties in the water far better than any of our food fish. 
For stocking muddy bottom ponds in which trout, 
bass, and other fish would not live, the catfish or bull- 
head are especially adapted. Any water that does not 
dry up entirely to the bottom in summer suits them. 

There are several varieties of catfish, ranging 
from the common channel cat, weighing from 5 to 10 
pounds, to the Great-Lakes species, ranging from 50 
to 100 pounds, and the well-known great Mississippi 



78 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

cat, which reaches a weight of 150 pounds. Thej are 
practically much alike in appearance, with very few 
marks to distinguish them one from another. The 
most common variety are known as bullheads, or 
bull pouts, and are found in all waters. They never 
exceed 3 or 4 pounds in weight, and are usually 
much smaller. All varieties are decidedly a night- 
biting fish, being generally caught at dusk or after 
dark. It is scarcely necessary to state that this 
family has a skin, not scales. The best as food fish 
are the channel cats, which are slender in form and 
silvery in color, while those next in value are called 
bullheads and are mostly dark-colored and chunky. 

The fresh-water sheepshead, or drum, is also a 
very commonly distributed fish, being found in all 
large bodies of water, either lakes or rivers, from 
the Great Lakes in the north to the Eio Grande in 
the south. Properly a bottom fish, they range from 
1 or 2 to 40 or 60 pounds in weight. In shape 
they are somewhat similar to a black bass, but decid- 
edly humpbacked ; their color is a silvery white. 
The second dorsal fin is much longer, almost reach- 
ing the tail, and the nose is very blunt, the upper 
jaw overhanging the lower. The mouth is smaller 
than that of the bass. They make a peculiar grunt- 
ing or croaking noise, which gives them the name of 
drum. They will often follow under a boat for some 



80 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

distance, constantly emitting the sound quite loudly. 
A double air bladder connected by a narrow passage 
is supposed to produce this peculiar noise, the air 
being forced from one part to another. An espe- 
cially hard-fighting fish when hooked, the drum gives 
one a long tussle, and tests tackle as well. It is not 
very often taken when angling, but those who h'ave 
caught both sheepshead and bass will prefer the 
former, princij^ally because they are just as hard 
fighters, and, having more weight, take a longer time 
and are more difiicult to bring to net. 

Yery peculiar and far from attractive fish are the 
burbots, or fresh-water cods, w^hich are found in the 
lakes and rivers of the l^orthern States, and as far 
north as the Arctic circle. Often called "cusks," 
they are known in New England as the " eel pout," 
in New York as the " ling," or " lawyer," and under 
many other names in various sections. A most 
voracious bottom fish, they feed principally on small 
fish, and often on any dead fish or animal. In ap- 
pearance they somewhat resemble both the bullhead 
and the eel. They have nothing about them to at- 
tract an angler, except their fighting qualities. One 
peculiarity they possess, and that is, they almost 
always bite at night, generally after dark. They are 
most frequently taken during the night, on set lines 
placed quite deep. Occasionally fishermen catch 



|lHli3i»iii|jMlif!k 




82 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

them when anghng for other fish witli minnows for 
bait. When they take the liook, a wonderful fight 
follows. They twist and squirm, running here and 
there, and will easily jump out of the boat if not 
killed at once. In lakes they are taken through the 
ice in large quantities, and it is great sport to get 
them through the small fishing hole. Though they 
are not spoken of highly as a food fish, their flavor' is 
good. When dried and salted, as are salt-water cod, 
their flesh is claimed to be almost fully as good. In 
weight they range from 2 to 4 pounds, but in some 
of the larger lakes specimens weighing up to 40 
pounds have been taken. 

Before concluding this chapter on miscellaneous 
fishes it is well to give passing mention to the sucker 
family. There are many species, but all are too 
coarse or dry fleshed to be of any commercial value 
as food fish. All are large scaled, ugly in contour, 
lifeless, soft fleshed, and full of bones. Every lake, 
river, and stream is full of them, therefore they are 
very frequently caught in angling for other fish. 
Ordinarily, suckers are only good to throw back, not 
being of any value as food fish, for the reasons just 
given. There is one exception, however, that when 
taken from cold streams in April and early May, they 
are firm fleshed and quite palatable. They are a very 
bony fish, but most of the bones can be avoided by 



^4 FAMILIAR. FISH, THEIR UABIT8 AND CAPTURE 

cutting off the tail portion, wliich contains tlie greater 
quantity, just ahead of the anal fin. 

Another useless fish and a great nuisance is the 
chubc Every angler who has faithfully fished a trout 
stream, eagerly expecting a trout from every promis- 
ing pool, can vouch for their lack of value, except to 
clean his hook of bait, and prevent success. There 
are so many kinds known under such varying names 
that, as they are practically valueless, it would be 
absolutely useless to attempt in any way to describe 
them. The only value ever to be found in them is 
that they afford unhmited food for other fish, and 
always help to fill out the small boy's first few strings. 

There are a few fish purposely omitted from the 
foregoing chapters. They are either species of those 
described, the same fish under varying names, or 
some local fish generally unknown and not worthy 
of mention. The varieties of which descriptions 
have been given comprise the best-known and most 
sought-after fresh-water game and food fishes. It 
was impossible to give all of the many various local 
names applied to the same fish throughout the conn- 
try, but the detailed description of each fish, and the 
accompanying illustrations of it, should enable the 
angler to determine quickly and correctly the name 
and character of what good fortune has brought to 
his hook and net. 



CHAPTER VTII 



FISHING TACKLE — WHAT TO SELECT 




Necessary tackle. 

and when to use it. 
explain the method 



Study and practice will 
give the skill that makes a 
successful fisherman, but the 
greatest necessity is to have a 
proper outfit of tackle, and a 
thorough knowledge of how 
Therefore, before attempting to 
of catching the various kinds 
of fish described in the preceding chapters, it will 
be well to explain fully the angler's outfit. This 
subject being made clear, any reference to the dif- 
ferent items mentioned will be readily understood. 

The term " fishing tackle " covers all the various 
and numerous things used and required in catching 
fish. The items of rods, reels, lines, and hooks alone 
do not complete the list — in fact, they are but a be- 
ginning. Numerous small things must be provided, 
for the absence of a single one of them may prevent 
a day's fishing. 

85 



86 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

Among anglers there are man^; varied opinions, 
or, more properly speaking, preferences as to what 
particular tackle is best. Under such conditions it 
is better to refer to the various kinds, all of which 
are good, and to give individual reasons why any 
particular one is preferred. There is one thing that 
all fishermen will agree upon, and that is that the 
beginner should start in with good but inexpensive 
rods. It is much better and easier to replace a low- 
priced rod, broken through inexperience, than an 
expensive one that only an experienced hand should 
use. On the other hand, inexperience requires just 
as fine qualities of lines, leaders, hooks, and reels as 
does experience. When a rod is broken a fish does 
not necessarily get away, but when a line or hook 
breaks, it does. Witli tackle, as with all other 
things, the best is the cheapest in the end, exce23t 
in the case of delicate, expensive rods, which should 
only be used when practice has made perfect. 

IS'aturally the subject of rods is of the greatest 
importance, and therefore should be mentioned first. 
The sizes, weights, and varieties are innumerable, 
and, in reality," worthy of a chapter to themselves. 
In some respects, especially in salmon and heavy 
trout rods, the English makers excel Americans, 
but for light- or medium-weight delicate creations, 
they can not even approach us. The woods best 



FISHING TACKLE— WHAT TO SELECT 87 

adapted for fishing-rod purposes are bamboo, green- 
heart, bethabara, and lancewood, and at the same 
time should be mentioned the latest creation, the 
steel rod. Although all of the woods referred to are 
used in England, greenheart and lancewood are the 
especial favorites. The English makers do use fer- 
rules in making their joints, but thej much prefer 
the wound joint as being stronger, inasmuch as it 
bends equally with the rod. There is no question 
but that such a joint has its advantages, the one dis- 
advantage being the length of time it takes to wind 
or unwind it. An English salmon rod of greenheart 
with wound joints is absolutely the best rod to be had 
for the purpose, lasting a lifetime ; and this is true 
also of their other rods of ten ounces and heavier. 

Anglers to-day demand light rods, either for fly 
or bait fishing, and for trolling as well. Four to 
eight ounces for fly casting, eight to ten ounces for 
bait fishing and trolling, are the weights usually 
called for. Split bamboo is the favorite wood, with 
bethabara next, and lancewood and greenheart fol- 
lowing. Split bamboo rods can be bought at all 
prices, ranging from a cheap machine-made article at 
$1.50 to the finest hand-made at $45. While excel- 
lent rods of this kind which have lasted for years, 
have been bought at a low price ; to secure absolute 
satisfaction one must pay at least $15 to $25. Split 



88 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

bamboo rods need the greatest care and attention. 
Being made of strips — usually six — cemented to- 
gether and varnished, they will spread apart, twist, 
and break if exposed to continued dampness or wet. 

Bethabara is next in cost to the split bamboo, and 
will range from $0 to $12. By many it is preferred 
to bamboo. Lancewood and greenheart will average 
from $2 to $8. Steel rods can be bought at prices 
ranging from $4: to $12. 

Fly fishing is something to be taken up when all 
other fishing methods have been learned; therefore 
a fly rod is the last thing to be purchased. For the 
beginner a good lancewood rod, weighing from eight 
to ten ounces and costing $3 to $5, is probably the 
best one to procure. It is adapted to all kinds of 
fishing, and will stand considerable strain without 
breaking. If an English or ]N"ova Scotia rod with 
wound instead of fen-ule joints is preferred, green- 
heart mil probably prove to be the most suitable. 
However, the question of rods is a debatable one, 
owing to the many and varied opinions held regard- 
ing them. Perhaps it is better, therefore, to rest 
upon the hints given above, and leave the matter of 
selection to individual preference, aided by the ad- 
vice of some fisherman. When the rudiments of 
fishing are once learned the selection of rods becomes 
entirely a question of personal preference. 



FISHING TACKLE— WHAT TO SELECT 89 

There are so many varieties of reels, each having 
numberless admirers, that to advocate any special 
kind would provoke discussion at once. It may be 
more to the point, in consequence, to give a personal 
preference and the reasons therefor. For all-round 
satisfactory results an automatic or self-winding reel 
is the best, and should be adopted in the beginning 
and always used. To handle such a reel properly, 
practice is required, which can only be obtained by 
constant use. With other than game fish, this reel 
is not a necessity but a convenience, while with game 
fish that fight hard, rushing hither and thither, it 
will bring more safely to net than any other. The 
secret of capturing fish is to avoid absolutely giving 
them any slack line whatever. If they make a mad 
rush, unwinding a large quantity of line, the drag 
on an ordinary reel scarcely serves as a check. With 
the automatic, however, the pulling out of line winds 
a spring, which makes the tension a gradually increas- 
ing one, thus quickly tiring and checking the fish. 
The next rush may be directly toward the fisherman, 
slack being given so rapidly that a crank reel, no 
matter how much it multiplies, can not recover it fast 
enough, the result being that if the fish again turns 
and rushes away it will have enough slack line to 
secure a good start, and to fetch up with a jerk that 
will tear out the hook when the line again becomes 



90 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 



tight. With the automatic reel, properly handled, 
this can not occur. 

When a lish is hooked the brake is released, and 
the tension of the spring is constantly pulling on the 
fish to help tire it out. If a rush is made toward the 
fisherman the spring winds up the slack as rapidly as 
it is given, and in no way possible can the fish get 
any free line to tighten up and tear loose. It is a 
difiicult matter at best to handle a hard-fighting fish, 
consequently the aid of an automatic reel is of great 
benefit. There are many makes of multiplying 
crank reels that are most excel- 
lent, and those who prefer them 
will find an infinite variety at any 
price they may choose to pay. 
The automatic is advocated from 
an absolute belief in its merits. 
A good crank reel will give per- 
fect satisfaction, but it can not 
take in the fine as rapidly. 

There certainly can not be 

any question as to what qnality 

of line to use, since all anglers 

c agree upon that subject. Braided 

silk is proper, and an enameled 

It is pliable, thoroughly waterproof, 

care should last many years. No 



No. 5 
G 



Sizes of lines. 



one is the best, 
and with good 



92 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 



breakages can occur with its use. For ordinary bait 
fishing, a C or D size serves all purposes, but a 
lighter one is better adapted for fly fishing, as will 
be shown later on. For any fishing except salmon, 
twenty-five or thirty yards of line are amply suf- 
ficient, especially with the automatic reel, which 
checks a fish from running it all out. For trolling, 
a No. 1 braided linen grass-colored line will be 
found most satisfactory. 

The subject of hooks is one that should be care- 
fully studied and most thoroughly understood. 
Every angler has his own ideas as to sizes and kinds 
for various fish, which renders it difiicult to make 
recommendations tlat others will agree with. Sug- 
gestions will be given on this point in succeeding 




y 




Carlisle. Sproat. 

the methods of catching various 
kinds of fish are discussed. In the accompanying 
illustrations the various sizes of hooks are shown, 



Kendall sneck. 

chapters, where 



FISHING TACKLE— WHAT TO SELECT 



93 



and tlie different patterns or bends. 
Snelled liouks only are now used, and 
one should have a variety of sizes 
ranging from large with wire, gimj), 
or double gut, to small with a fine sin- 
gle snell. Trolling spoons and small 
spinners for trolling or casting are very 
necessary. 

Of vital importance to the angler 
is a landing net, which should be taken 
along on all fishing trips. Without it 
a large number of fish will be lost in 
attempting to lift them from the water by the hook. 
There are many kinds, nearly all of which have 
merit, and a good one can be easily selected. It is 




Snell hook. 





Limerick. 



Kirby. 



U 



Aberdeen. 



well, however, to advise the purchase of one of large 
size, with a handle fully four or -B.ve feet long, which 
can be quickly put together or taken apart. 



94 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

The foregoing describes the tackle principally 
required by the fisherman. There are many other 




Sizes of oval spoons. Sizes of kidney spoons. 

articles fully as necessary that must be mentioned in 
detail, and to their description the following chapter 
is devoted. 



CHAPTEE IX 



THE TACKLE BOX AND ITS CONTENTS 




Tackle box. 



A GOOD fisherman must 
have a tackle l)ox ; there is 
no question in regard to that. 
Whether it be homemade, a 
clieap or medium priced one 
of tin, or a more expensive 
one of leather, it is an abso- 
lute necessity. There is no 
other way of carrying compactly the many things 
required by an angler so that they can be found at 
once, and used when required. Little things that 
are needed constantly are easily lost if carried in a 
fishing basket or one's pockets. 

Such boxes of tin or leather can be purchased at 
almost any price, and are properly arranged to hold 
a large quantity of necessaries, a list of which is 
given here. Fly book, hook book, leader box, fish 
scale, copper wire, pliers, sinkers, cork floats, swivels, 
drinking cup, twine, needles, linen thread, silk thread, 

95 



96 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

a set of tools contained in their handle, compass, 
small oiler and oil, large hook for gaff, file, and knife, 
extra lines, hooks, spoons, spinners, cartridges for re- 
volver or rille, corkscrew, and can opener. 

The fly book will hold the necessary flies, and 
extra leaders as well. A long hook book is needed to 
carry snelled hooks, keeping the various sizes sep- 
arate, with gut held straight. Unless arranged in 
some such way, the long snells become twisted and 
tangled together, making it difficult to secure one 

when wanted. The cost of 
such a book is very small, 
but a good fly book calls 
for considerable expense. 
A round or square zinc 
leader box containing felt 
pads is needed to dampen 
leaders prior to their use. 

Felt-llned leader box. 

They are always coiled 
when not being used, and unless kept moist, will grow 
very dry, requiring considerable time to straighten 
out again. It should be noted, however, that they 
must be kept in the leader box only a short time 
before and during use. On returning from his trip, 
the fisherman must immediately take them out, dry 
them, and keep them in his fly book. If he does 
not do this, the dampness will soon rot them. A 




THE TACKLE BOX AND ITS CONTENTS 97 

small fisherman's spring scale, weighing up to 8 or 
10 pounds, will be especially appreciated, as the cor- 
rect, not guess weight, of fish can always be taken. 

Some small spools of copper wire, one each of 
J^os. 18, 20, and 22, are especially needed, and of 
great service, l^ot only can almost anything be 
mended with these when broken, but they are used 
in trolling as well. A pair of small steel pliers with 
a cutting attachment is very often found useful. An 
assortment of lead sinkers, including split shot, will 
be used in almost all kinds of fishing, and a good 
quantity should be carried at all times. One or two 
cork floats are needed occasionally in fishing, and 
should be included. In trolling, swivels are always 
necessary. A few, from IN^o. 1 to No. 8 assorted, will 
prove suflicient. 

A reliable compass is always serviceable and 

should be carried in the box. Oil is another necessity, 

and a small bottle, together with a pocket oiler that 

does not leak, will be required very often. For 

repairing any breakage (and such things constantly 

occur), a set of small tools, contained in a handle 

which they fit when used, is not only a convenience, 

but an absolute necessity. These, together with a 

knife, a five-inch triangular file, and a spool of red 

silk thread, furnish all that is required to repair a 

broken rod. There are innumerable uses for a file 
8 



98 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 




Telescope drinking cup 
and case. 



in sliarpeiiing hooks or arranging spoons 
and other special tackle. 

For repairs on torn clothing, needles 
and strong thread should find a place in 
the tackle box, and a tele- 
scope drinking cup in a 
case should not be forgot- 
ten. A skein or two of 
heavy cotton line can be 
used for an anchor rope, 
to tie packages, string fish, 
fasten a boat to a buoy, 
stay a tent — in fact, it will 
come very handy for in- 
numerable uses. Do not omit this. 

There are various other little items that, 
while not absolutely necessary, may come 
into convenient use at times. Individual ex- 
perience will sug- 
gest these, as men- 
tion has only been 
made of items that 
should absolutely 
be on hand. One 

thing has been |j|^ 2/0 cod book, 

omitted that should 
not be, and that is 



THE TACKLE BOX AND ITS CONTENTS 



99 



a 2/0 cod hook to use as a galf on large fish. Filed 
to a sharp point, and tied to a short stick, it serves 
the purpose fully as well as an expensive gaff. 

A tackle box will not only contain all the items 
mentioned, but have ample room for one or two reels 
holding the lines as well. Therefore, all things neces- 
sary to go fishing, excepting rods and net, are con- 
tained in a small compass where they can not be 
lost and are always accessible. 

Other necessaries in an an- 
gler's outfit are a bait box for 
worms, a minnow pail to carry 
live minnows, and a fish basket 
to use when stream fishing. Be 




Fish basket. 



careful to secure a basket hav- 
ing a top opening through which 
to drop fish on the side, not in the middle, as it 
will be found more convenient. Always use a 
patent sling strap, as it holds the basket immovably 
under the left arm. A final convenience to men- 




Rod case. 



tion, but which is not absolutely necessary, is a rod 
case. It should be sufficiently large to contain two 
or three rods and the landing net. Made strongly 



100 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

of leather, it prevents injury to the rods, protects 
them from rain and dampness, and makes a most con- 
venient method of carrying them. 

With the tackle box containing all the smaller 
necessaries, and the rod case having the rods and net, 
one can simply pick up both at a moment's notice, and 
is then prepared for any kind of a fishing trip. In this 
connection a word of warning should be given. 
Always dry out a rod thoroughly after using and 
before placnig it in either the cloth or leather case. 
E^othing will injure a good rod so quickly as to put 
it away damp. 

This discussion of the tackle box suggests men- 
tion of something that while not a material part of 
its contents, is closely connected therewith — namely, 
a knowledge of how to tie gut in both leaders 
and hooks when broken. Every fisherman should 
know this. 

There are various methods, but the simplest and 
best one serves all purposes and will sufifice. It con- 
sists simply in making a loop on the end of the gut 
that can not slip or loosen. In the case of a broken 
leader, after testing the pieces for strength, a loop is 
tied on each broken end, one slipped over the other, 
the whole length of the one slipped over being drawn 
through the other loop. In case of a loop breaking 
on a snell hook, another one is quickly made by this 



THE TACKLE BOX AND ITS CONTENTS iQl 



metliod. By closely noting the illustrations and the 
following explanations, no difficulty will be found in 
learning to tie the knot. 
A loop is first formed 
by bringing the end 
around to the right and 
then to the left, under 
and once about the gut, 
a simple single sliding 
knot being thus made. 
A loop about f of an 
inch long should be 
allowed. The top of 
the loop is then bent back down to no. 2. 
the knot (see illustration), making 
two loops side by side. The left-hand 
loop is then passed through the one on 
the right and drawn out as far as possi- 
ble. This forms a knot that must be 
arranged to be slipped over and about 
the first knot tied. It is then drawn up 
tight, a fastening being formed that can 
not slip. Before drawing the final knot 
tight, the loop can be made of the exact size wanted. 
But little practice is required to tie this loop when 
once learned. Do not reverse the order or vary 
from the explanation given in any way. 




No. 3. 
Tying gut. 



CHAPTEE X 




FLY FISHING 

There are innumerable 
methods of fishing, and often 
many ways of catching the 
same variety of fish, some of 
which call for a great amount 
of skill that only experience 
can give. The greatest of all, 
where skill and accuracy both 
are necessary, and which can 
be acquired only by long and 
constant labor, is to fish with the fly. It is the most 
graceful method of fishing, and the most difl^icult as 
well. With but little practice, under a good tutor, a 
fly can be cast in a way and fish caught. Unfortu- 
nately, many fishermen are content with such a lim- 
ited knowledge, believing that they know all regard- 
ing this most skillful form of the sport, whereas, in 
reality, they have scarcely mastered its rudiments. 
First of all, to understand fly fishing one must 
103 



A well-tied fly. 



FLY FISHING 103 

know muclti of the habits of fish, and especially of 
their natural food, so far, at least, as their liking for 
flies and insoets is in question. Then, a knowledge 
of what particular flies are seasonable during differ- 
ent months of the year is necessary. A certain fly 
used in its proper season is much more effective than 
out of season, although the rule is not at all iron- 
clad. This is preliminary, but of -great advantage to 
know. 

The next important step in order is the selection 
of a proper rod. The general consensus of opinion 
is that one made of split bamboo is by far the best, 
and it is. For the beginner, however, a rod of lance- 
wood, bethabara, or greenheart — not too light, per- 
haps seven or eight ounces in weight — is the proper 
one to learn and practice with. Such a rod will 
stand much hard usage, and, being inexpensive, 
entails but little loss if broken. A better and lighter 
rod can be got when experience warrants. 

An enameled silk line, l^o. D or E, is properly 
adapted to fly fishing, the former probably being 
the better for a beginner, as it is heavier. For an 
experienced fisherman, however, E is generally the 
favorite size, a tapered line allowing of better and 
more accurate casting. Any reel can be used, but 
if the automatic is to be adopted, practice should 
be commenced with it. When learning or prac- 



104 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

ticing casting, use the line only, without flies or 
leader. 

Properly to cast a fly, the forearm and wrist only 
are used, and, in reality, the upper arm could be 
fastened to the side without interfering with the 
work. The first endeavor of an amateur is to try to 
cast to a distance. Since at first accuracy is of the 
greatest importance and distance of far less, the for- 
mer should be practiced only. The effort to throw 
a line to a distance without knowing how will cause 
the beginner to use the full strength of his arm and 
to acquire a habit that will be most difficult to break 
off, if it can be overcome at all. 

As stated, fly casting is done entirely with the 
forearm and wrist, and with the expenditure of but 
little, if any, energy. When once learned it can be 
kept up for hours without tiring the arm to any 
extent. The whole secret of expertness is to learn 
just when, on the throw-back, the line is out per- 
fectly straight before recovering and making the 
forward cast. This can not be taught, and can only 
be learned by careful practice. At last one seems to 
know instinctively when to recover, and the secret is 
learned. It is far better to cast twenty or twenty- 
five feet of line accurately than a far greater length 
without being able to control the direction absolutely. 
More fish will be taken generally within thirty feet, 



FLY FISHING 105 

than over that distance. Occasionally a pool can 
not be approached closely, and a long line must be 
thrown, but distance is easily acquired — in fact, it 
comes naturally in practice. 

The late Reuben Wood, of Syracuse, N. Y., was 
without question the finest fly caster of his day, and 
he always had set rules that his pupils must follow. 
He invariably tied a beginner's upper arm to his 
side, making him cast in that way, until, when free, 
the arm was kept against the side naturally. An- 
other rule, and a good one, was that for a consider- 
able length of time he would only allow a line twice 
the length of the rod to be thrown. A chip of wood 
was tossed upon the water, and all effort must be 
made to drop the line over it. Eventually the line 
was lengthened and casts to a greater distance made, 
but accuracy must keep pace, and especial attention 
was paid to dropping the cast lightly upon the water. 

When the line has become straightened out be- 
hind, the forward cast should be made with a sharp, 
steady throw of the rod — never with a jerk. The 
point of the rod naturally drops, and if it is held in 
this position until the cast strikes the water the 
leader and flies will generally drop in circular form. 
To avoid this and have the leader fall gently and in 
a straight line, the point of the rod should be ele- 
vated three or four feet just at the moment the cast 



106 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

is about to strike. This causes just enough drawing 
back of the hne to straighten it out to its full length. 
The flies are then drawn through the water until the 
rod is upright, whereupon the cast is repeated. 

If a fish strikes a fly when the leader is loosely 
coiled upon the water, it is not liable to get hooked, 
in which event it is not probable that it will strike 
again. When the leader is dropped straight, there is 
every chance of hooking the tish. It is well to know 
also that in casting up stream, the line must be drawn 
back and re-cast very quickly. If this is not done, 
the current slackens the line, preventing a strike if a 
fish rises, and preventing another cast, unless by reel- 
ing in and starting anew. 

It should always be remembered that if a fish 
should rise to the flies within six or eight feet of 
one's boat, one must never strike it, as it will almost 
invariably break a rod. Avoid the temptation by 
never having the flies so near. In drawing the flies 
upon the water every effort should be made to imi- 
tate a natural movement. If a short line is being 
cast, a slight shaking of the rod in drawing will 
cause them to flutter. In the case of a long cast, 
short jerks will bring about the same result. As 
the natural action of a fly is being imitated, it will 
be seen at once how necessary it is to drop the leader 
and flies delicately upon the water. If they are 



FLY FISHING 107 

thrown roughly, with a splash, the fish are fright- 
ened away. 

The use of very large flies is a grievous mistake, 
and experienced anglers discarded them long since. 
A fly tied on a 'No. 4 or 5 hook will be found sufii- 
ciently large even for salmon, and only occasionally 
will a No. 2 or 3 be required. For small fish, No. 8 
will be found small enough. Medium or small flies 
will attract fish when large ones will not, and will 
hook them more securely. A six-foot leader will 
prove much more satisfactory and convenient than a 
shorter or longer one. Loop leaders are preferable 
to those tied with knots, as they allow flies to be 
changed easier and much more quickly. 

Concerning the particular flies to be used it can 
be said that, aside from several that are considered 
standard and always good, it is as well to leave the 
selection of any others to personal choice. In some 
localities certain flies are considered absolutely neces- 
sary, that elsewhere would prove to be useless. 
Knowledge of such conditions must govern the selec- 
tion also. In all parts of the country and for all 
fish the following flies will be found to be standard 
and favorites as well : Jock Scott, Silver Doctor, 
Coachman, Professor, Queen of the Waters, Parma- 
cheene Belle, Montreal, Eeuben Wood, Ferguson, 
and Brown Hackle. 



108 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

This list gives almost enough variety, and all 
mentioned should be carried. If others are desired 
to provide for any emergency there are numberless 
kinds to select from. At times only a special fly will 
attract fish, and at others almost any one, no matter 
how odd, will prove to be especially good. 

There is one bit of advice in reference to rods 
that properly can be given here. It is a strong temp- 
tation to have a large number, and to carry several on 
a trip to the woods or elsewhere, when the amount of 
baggage to be carried should be made as small as pos- 
sible. Naturally one will say that there is always a 
great possibility of rods being broken, and that it is 
necessary to have others to replace them. The best 
plan to follow is to have a special rod made, consist- 
ing of one butt, two second joints, and three or four 
tips. A tip is often broken, a second joint occasion- 
ally, a butt rarely ; therefore, a rod of this descrip- 
tion is in reality equal to two. This does away with 
the necessity of carrying an extra one. 

For an expert angler, the weight of his rod must 
be a matter of choice guided by his own experience, 
but a word of advice to others is needed. There is a 
strong tendency to select the two extremes — either 
too light or too heavy — both of which should be 
avoided. A light rod of three or four ounces, while 
it will bring a fish to net, requires enough labor and 



FLY FISHING 



109 



worry to tire the fisherman quickly. If too heavy — 
ten ounces or over — it is too stiff to cast a Une 
properly, and will not give a hard -fighting fish the 
spring necessary to handle it well. 

Experience will teach that a rod of 6, 6|^, or 7 
ounces is just correct. It is light and springy enough 
to cast out a long line, and to handle and tire a fish 
easily as well. These weights are too light, however, 
for an inexperienced hand. 

It is advisable to have for reference a list of stan- 
dard flies from which a selection can be made when 
required. While the small variety previously men- 
tioned is, as stated, ordinarily sufticient, others may 
be needed at times. The fly fisherman should become 
familiar with the names, and as far as possible with 
the files themselves, in order to distinguish them. 
The list following, while it does not give the names 
of all flies made, will be found to cover the best 
known and most successful. 



Reuben Wood, 
Seth Green, 
Scarlet Ibis, 
White Miller, 
Coachman, 
Green Drake, 
Ferguson, 
Montreal, 
March Brown, 
Grizzly King, 



Jungle Cock, 

Black Hackle, 

Brown Hackle, 

Queen of the Waters, 

Beaver Kill, 

Cow Dung, 

Professor, 

Baltimore, 

Bucktail, 

Royal Coachman, 



Abbey, 
Yellow Sally, 
Gov. Alvord, 
Silver Doctor, 
John Mann, 
McCarthy Ouananiche, 
Hares Ear, 
Brown Palmer, 
Parmacheene Belle, 
Jock Scott. 



110 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

The subject of fly casting is a most difficult one 
to explain ; therefore, practical hints only can be given. 
To become a successful fly caster, constant careful 
practice is absolutely necessary. One must discover 
his own faults and correct them at once. As advised, 
accuracy is the first and most important rule to fol- 
low ; it is absolutely necessary — so much so, that im- 
mediate success can not be obtained unless it is 
achieved. Delicacy ranks next, and it is almost 
equally important. Accuracy drops a fly where a fish 
has just risen, delicacy avoids frightening it, and 
attracts it. Distance is necessary at times, but that 
comes in due course, when the other requirements 
have been mastered. 



CHAPTEK XI 



HOW TO CATCH SALMON AND TROUT 




Salmon leaping a fall. 



Unfortunately, the op- 
portunities to seek salmon fish- 
ing are very Hmited. This is 
because all the fishing rights 
on both American and easily 
accessible Canadian rivers 
have been leased either by 
individuals or clubs. Unless 
one can secure an invitation 
to fish such waters as a guest, or seeks the rivers on 
the northern coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence or of 
Labrador, the opportunity is impossible. The rivers 
just mentioned can only be reached at the expense of 
much time and money, especially as there are no boats 
running to reach them. All this refers to the Atlan- 
tic sahnon. The Pacific varieties, as mentioned in a 
preceding chapter, do not, as a rule, take bait readily. 
The Atlantic salmon take the fly only, and special 
heavy tackle is required. The rods vary from 15 to 

111 



112 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

18 feet in length, and average in weight from 16 to 
20 ounces. A large multiplying reel that will carry 
150 yards or more of light linen line is required. As 
in other fishing, large flies are being discarded, and 
'No. 2 hooks are generally the largest used, with 
Nos. 3 and 4 the favorite sizes. But one fly is 
used, and that is fastened to the end of a 6-foot 
single gut leader, that in turn is looped to a 3- or 6- 
foot double leader, which is attached to the line. 
With such a large rod two-handed casting must be 
done, the left hand above and the right below the 
reel, with the butt of the rod frequently resting 
against the body to relieve the hands of strain. 

When casting either from a boat or the shore a 
position is taken above the pool, which is slowly 
whipped across a few times. Then the fisherman 
moves down some 5 or 6 feet and again casts, repeat- 
ing this until the entire pool is covered. The proper 
way to cast is to drop the fly at the right-hand side 
near the shore, and, by successively raising and drop- 
ping the tip of the rod, to draw the fly up stream and 
then to float it back. This causes the fly to flutter, 
while the cast is gradually being worked across the 
pool to the extreme left. As just said, the cast is 
repeated several times before moving down. A pecul- 
iarity of salmon, in which it differs from trout or bass, 
is that it comes up straight to the fly, and will not 



114 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

strike it from any other direction or from a distance. 
When it takes the hook, a strike with the rod is not 
made as with other fish. The reason is that the sal- 
mon strikes Hghtlj, usuallj hooking in the hps, and 
the mouth being very tender, a jerk will tear it loose. 
For this reason, also, a constant, steady strain must be 
maintained, not allowing slack at any time. A strain 
not exceeding two pounds should be kept on the fish, 
and when it is exhausted it should be led to galf with 
a steady pull never in excess of this. 

Usually considerable time is required to tire a 
large salmon and bring it to gaff, which has a ten- 
dency to make the fisherman impatient. Patience, 
and a constant remembrance of the light steady pull 
required — never increasing it — will lead to success. 
Salmon always remain in a pool during the day, 
ascending the river only at night. For this reason 
they are easily found, when once they have com- 
menced to run up toward the spawning beds. It is 
an unanswered question why these fish take a fly, as 
they are never known to take food of any kind when 
in fresh water. Moreover, a fly has never been 
found in their stomach. Many old salmon fishermen 
claim, and with some reason, that the moving or 
fluttering of the fly over them as they lie in the pool 
is an annoyance, and they simply strike to kill it. 
The fact that they are always hooked in the lips, 



HOW TO CATCH SALMON AND TROUT II5 

rarely in the interior of the mouth or throat, would 
seem to prove this. Trout and bass take flies as food 
with a vicious swallow, consequently the majority 
gorge the hook, and fasten it well back in the mouth. 

Salmon are easily seen in the pools when passing 
over them in a boat, which seemingly frightens them, 
as they move away, but only to return to their original 
place in a few moments. It occurs very often that 
they will not rise to a fly, though every effort is made 
to make them take the bait. Neither a spoon, nor 
live or dead bait of any kind, tempts them. They 
seemingly are able to live on the thick layers of fat 
they possess until returned to the sea. 

The favorite flies with salmon fishermen are the 
Jock Scott and Silver Doctor, although many other 
patterns are used. Their evident requirement is that 
they be bright-colored and attractive, rather than dull 
or of dark color. 

Much experience is required to hook, play, and 
kill a salmon — more so than any other fish. It is 
best, therefore, if opportunity offers to secure such 
fishing, to accept the advice of an experienced salmon 
fisherman. 

There are but two methods of properly catching 
brook trout of any kind — namely, with bait or fiy. 
In lakes they are sometimes taken trolling with 
small spoons or spinners, but such methods are not 



116 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

sportsmanlike in the case of sncli beautiful game 
fish. 

There are many small streams and brooks through- 
out the country, containing trout, that are more or 
less bordered by woods or brush, or which themselves 
are filled with logs and snags, fly casting being im- 
possible in either case. When the trout season opens 
in April or early May, as it does in the majority of 
States, it is entirely too early for the fly to be taken. 
Under such conditions the trout fisherman relies upon 
bait fishing, and goes forth to match his skill with the 
wonderful craftiness of this fish. It is a great mis- 
take to consider stream fishing for trout with bait as 
not requiring skill. There is no other kind of angling 
that requires more. Trout, whether of the brook, 
rainbow, or brown variety, are crafty fish, and very 
easily frightened, especially in shallow waters. If 
undisturbed, they may occasionally be seen resting 
quietly in the deeper pools, but, as a usual thing, they 
remain hidden. Under every shelving bank, under 
every log from which the current has washed away 
the sand, and under every fall where the drop of the 
water has made a deep hole, there is the lurking place 
of the trout. Beneath or behind every obstruction 
that offers a hiding place, one or more fish may be 
found. The expert stream fisherman knows this, and 
very slowly he fishes, dropping his hook into every 



118 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

likely place. A poor angler fishes rapidly, selecting 
only the most promising holes, and passes over many 
fish in the others. Kever neglect a likely spot, no 
matter if it delays, and all of the brook can not 
be fished. Remember, the slow careful fisherman 
secures the most fish. 

Exceeding great care must be taken in approach- 
ing or fishing a stream, as the slightest jar of the 
bank or motion of the body or rod will frighten the 
fish. A trout usually lies heading up stream, and 
the bait should be carefully lowered and allowed to 
float by or under the obstruction as naturally as pos- 
sible. The moment the fish bites — which it always 
does with a rush — a quick twitch is given with the 
wrist to set the hook, and without a pause the trout 
pulled out upon tlie bank. Any hesitation allows 
opportunity for the fish to dart behind a snag, fasten 
the line, and usually work free. 

When the days get hot in summer, warming the 
water, trout always ascend the streams nearer to their 
cold spring sources, and hide as far back under the 
banks as possible. Then it is especially difiicult to 
catch them. If one is fortunate enough to be upon 
a stream when a heavy thunder shower comes up, 
most excellent fishing will generally follow. Such a 
shower precipitates large quantities of rain, which 
flows into the brook as surface water, roiling it up 



HOW TO CATCH SALMON AND TROUT HO 

badly. As soon as the stream begins to be discolored, 
the fish are unable to see the lisherman ; but they 
instinctively know that the storm washes in food, 
and are watching closely for it. They take the bait 
eagerly then, and will be caught in holes where pre- 
viously a bite could not be got. 

If trout will not take any bait offered, although 
they are known to be in the stream, a successful 
scheme is to roil up the water. This is easily accom- 
plished by getting into it and stirring up the bottom 
with a large stick. The stream becomes discolored 
for a considerable distance down, and will cause the 
fish to bite when otherwise they would not. This 
can be repeated as often as necessary. It is a per- 
fectly legitimate and sportsmanlike ruse, and will be 
often found successful. 

Of all bait for stream trout fishing, angle worms 
are the best, and those of good size are to be pre- 
ferred. They should be looped three or four times 
through the middle on the hook, and each end left 
hanging to squirm about. White grubs are good 
occasionally, and grasshoppers in season, but worms 
are the best at all times. The most satisfactory angle 
worm to use is the night crawler, which can only be 
secured during the evening with the aid of a lantern. 
It is very large, and seems to be most attractive. 
Worms should always be dug up two or three days 



120 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

before being used, and at once i^laced in fresh moss 
or grass. There thej not only cleanse themselves 
thorouglilj, but from free contact with the air be- 
come tough and hard. This makes a much more 
satisfactory bait than that freshly dug up. 

A lancewood rod of eight or ten ounces makes 
the most satisfactory one for bait fishing, although a 
steel rod is excellent. Those that telescope and have 
the line running through the center instead of 
through outside rings, are especially good where the 




Angling for Trout. 

fishing is through heavy brush. The line can be 
reeled in, leaving only the hook projecting, and the 
rod trailed behind without danger of the line's catch- 
ing on twigs. This saves time, avoids broken rods, 
and preserves one's temper as well. The same reels 



HOW TO CATCH SALMON AND TROUT 121 

and lines can be used as in other fishing. Either 
Aberdeen, Kirby, Carlisle, or Sproat hooks are adapt- 
ed to stream fishing. Thev should be single-snelled, 
Xos. 4 and 5 being the correct sizes. Spht shot 
should be used for sinkers, and not more than two or 
three small ones fastened to the gut. The swiftness 
of the current will indicate what is necessary. 

Wherc\-cr waters are sufficiently open for fly fish- 
ing, and the season is right, it is a mistake not to 
adopt that methol. A regular fly rod should be used, 
and either JS^o. 5 or 'No. 8 flies placed on the cast, 
according to the size of the fish to be taken. Trout 
are particularly fond of flies of all kinds, and during 
warm weather will be seen constantly rising to them. 
While they may be taken in this way at any hour 
during the day, the early evening, and until dark, is 
the better time, especially on ponds and large bodies 
of water. In streams, a fly deftly dropped upon the 
water will often lure from its hiding place a flsh that 
could not be tempted with bait. Under such condi- 
tions the hook can be replaced by a cast of flies, 
which is allowed to float down with the current. In 
fact, it is often advisable to try this whether any fish 
are taken from good pools or not. Absolutely the 
two best trout flies are the Scarlet Ibis and Parma- 
choene Belle. 

This is the fishing that requires the bait box and 



122 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

fisli basket mentioned in the list of tackle required. 
Trout should always be killed as soon as caught bj 
a blow on the head, and in warm weather cleaned 
quickly and packed in grass or leaves in the basket, 
so that one does not touch another. A good and 
merciful rule to follow with all fish caught is to kill 
them at once by a blow on the head, unless one is in 
a boat, where they can be strung on a line and kept 
alive in the water. 

In cleaning trout use a small, sharp knife, and 
cut them open lengthwise from the vent to tlie gills ; 
then cut the under part of the gills crosswise, and 
one pull will remove gills and intestines. A vein of 
bJood will be found along the backbone, which should 
be removed with the point of the knife. The trout 
is a delicate fish, and, unless carefully cleaned, soft- 
ens and spoils quickly; therefore wash the inside 
thoroughly. 

The salmon is cleaned in an entirely different 
manner. A Y-cut is made at the vent and a large 
cross cut under the head and gills. From this open- 
ing the entrails are drawn out. Then, after washing, 
the inside is cleaned. The flesh around the belly, 
which contains the layers of fat, is especially prized 
by old salmon fishers. 

For many years past individuals and clubs have 
been leasing trout streams throughout the country, 



HOW TO CATCH SALMON AND TROUT 123 

leaving but few good brooks that could be fished. 
Many of the States have recently passed laws prohib- 
iting such leases, and as many old preserves are now 
expiring by limitation, and all open fishing streams 
are constantly being stocked with trout, each year 
Avill henceforth afford better fishing and more waters 
to fish for every one. 

It is the duty of every fisherman to see that the 
close seasons for trout, as w^ell as all other fish, are 
not violated ; also to aid in preventing, as far as pos- 
sible, illegal fishing of all kinds. 

It is well to know that in all streams and brooks 
in the open country trout can be found at all periods 
of the open season. In large bodies of water — ponds 
and lakes — however, they constantly change about. 
This is especially true of fishing waters in the woods. 
As soon as the ice goes out in the spring, brook trout 
will invariably seek rapids, where they can be taken 
as long as high water continues. In rapids that are 
especially deep they will be found all through the 
year. During June, July, and August these fish 
seek the spring holes — that is, near the mouths of 
cold brooks. Here they will be found, not every day, 
but every few days, and at such places a catch can 
almost always be secured. 

The lake trout is, properly speaking, a diflicult 
fish to catch. When the ice leaves the lakes in the 



124 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

spring tliey will always be found in shallow water, 
from eight to ten feet deep, near the shore. As the 
water warms with the coming of summer they gradu- 
ally work out deeper and deeper, until, in midsum- 
mer, they can be found only in the deepest part of a 
lake. When in shallow water, they can be taken by 
trolhng with a spoon, with a minnow or a piece of 
fish attached. In deep water two methods are fol- 
lowed to take them. The most common way is to 
anchor a buoy in a likely part of a lake, baiting it by 
throwing in around it, for several successive days, a 
quantity of fish and fish cleanings cut up into quite 
small pieces. This will attract the fish. The boat is 
then anchored to the buoy, the angling being done 
with a strong hand line. A No. 1 or No. 2 snell hook 
is the proper size to use, and a heavy sinker is abso- 
lutely necessary to carry the bait down for such deep 
fishing. A generous piece of fresh fish is used for 
bait, and is lowered until it touches bottom, being 
then raised not more than a foot or a foot and a half. 
Close attention must be paid to this fishing, as a lake 
trout does not bite hard, and with so much line out 
the strike is scarcely perceptible. As they take the 
bait whole and at once, no delay should be made in 
striking them sharply. "Usually good-sized fish are 
taken, and they fight very hard. About 40 to 60 
feet depth of water is as deep as this method of fish- 



HOW TO CATCH SALMON AND TROUT 125 

ing can be successfully practiced. If properly and 
patiently followed sucli iisliing will prove to be thor- 
oughly satisfactory. 

The other method is deep-water bottom trolling. 
A heavy line of 100 to 150 feet is used, with a pear- 
shaped sinker of 2J- ounces. About 4 feet above the 
siuAcr a 6-foot leader or piece of line is attached, 
to the end of wdiich a ^o. 1 snell hook is fastened, 
and baited with a minnow or piece of fish. This fish- 
ing is done from a boat which is rowed slowly, the 
line being run out until the sinker touches bottom. 
It is then raised a trifle, but every moment or two 
dropped again until the bottom is felt. This is done 
to keep the line as close to the bottom as possible. 
With a little practice it is easily accomplished. This 
fishing, of course, is done by hand, for the same rea- 
son that angling at the buoy is — to feel readily the 
delicate bite given. "When opportunity offers, lake- 
trout fishing should be taken up, as it affords most 
delightful sport, calling into play great skill. Do 
not overlook always using swivels in attaching hooks 
to lines when trolling. 

The salmon family are not only collectively and 
individually the most beautiful game fish we have, 
but of double interest from the fact that they afford 
a greater variety of fishing than any other single kind 
of fish. 



CHAPTER XII 



OrANANICHE AND SEA-TROU^ FISHING- 




Canoeing for Ouananiche. 



While all fly fishing is to 
a certain extent similar, the 
method of taking ouananiche 
varies considerably in many 
respects from all the others. 
This fishing is done mostly 
upon rough, seething, boiling waters and requires a 
certain amount of practice to bring success. In the 
first place, it is well to know in advance that when 
one of these fish is hooked the fisherman is obliged 
to fight not only its own strength, but that of 
the current as well. As stated in the chapter on the 
ouananiche, none of the fresh-water fish can equal its 
fighting powers, and, pound for pound, it will out- 
fight even the salmon. 

Ouananiche are great smashers of rods and tackle, 

unless one understands how to play them, especially 

when they make their numerous high jumps from 

the water. It is not an exaggeration to state that 

136 



OUANANICHE AND SEA-TROUT FISHING 127 

these jumps will average at least five or six, and 
frequently will number ten or twelve. And such 
leaps ! Two or three feet out of the water, often 
toward the fisherman, then a rush deep down — a 
pause — a succession of jerks that would seem to 
tear the hook loose — a wild rush of varying dis- 
tance, and a run back, almost to the angler's feet. 
A fish weighing 3-| or 4 pounds will make a fight 
lasting ten or fifteen minutes, often longer, and 
that means hard work for every moment for the 
fisherman. 

The method of playing the ouananiche is worthy 
of description in detail, as it will aid intending fisher- 
men greatly. Kods from 5f to 8 ounces give the 
most satisfaction, 6 or 6^ ounces being the best. 
Much lighter and even heavier rods are advocated by 
some anglers, but long experience proves tlieir error. 
A very light rod can not check a fish, since it does not 
afford a sufficiently strong spring to tire it. A rod 
heavier than the weight mentioned does not bend 
readily enough to act as a spring; it is too stiff. So 
far as possible, the ouananiche should be played with 
the rod bent to a C- shape, the butt toward the fish. 
While the right hand holds the rod, some six feet of 
line should be drawn out between the reel and first 
ring with the left. Holding the rod and line in this 
way checks the fish from making long runs, and pre- 



128 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

vents excessive strain during its jumps. When a 
jump is made, the rod is 23ointed directly toward the 
lish, and line given or taken with the left hand, as 
the strain may warrant. This method of fishing will 
tire any fish much quicker than playing it with rod 
and reel alone, and doubtless will save a greater num- 
ber. It causes a steady strain, and is the only method 
that will prevent too much pnll at any single moment. 
In reality, the hand takes the place of the reel to a 
great extent. Certainly a fish can be handled in a 
much more delicate manner, the various jerks and 
pulls indicating, through the sense of touch, just 
what is to be done. In case a fish pulls too hard, or 
undertakes to make a run, then the line is released 
by the hand, and all necessary playing done with the 
reel. The line can be quickly grasped again in the 
event of farther jumping. 

No more than two flies on a 6-foot leader should 
be used, and if the fish are biting freely it is safer 
to use but one. If two ouananiche are hooked at 
once, both are rarely saved, as either a fly or leader, 
if not the rod itself, will be broken by the vigorous 
pulling in different directions. Patience is a good 
virtue to practice with all fish, but especially with 
the ouananiche. Never try to hurry them in any 
way, but play them as long as necessary, and lead 
them to net only when they show exhaustion. 



^??W,t 




be 
I 3 




10 



130 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

More fish have been lost through haste than through 
any other single cause, and nearly all anglers at times 
lose patience. 

The ouananiche being generally taken in very 
rough water, they should, whenever possible, be led 
to a quiet eddy to play and land. This relieves one 
from the added strain of the swift-flowing water. 
The same flies are used as in salmon fishing, the 
gaudy bright ones being preferred. At times almost 
any fly may be used successfully ; when the fish do 
not rise readily, different ones should be thoroughly 
tried. Some locally known flies, such as the B. A. 
Scott and McCarthy Ouananiche, are usually found 
to be attractive. In fishing with two flies, always 
use the brighter one as the trailer or end, and a dull 
contrasting one as the dropper or top. Nos. 4 and 
5 are the proper sizes of hooks to use. 

Those who have the time and opportunity, and 
have had sufficient practice in fly casting, will do well 
to seek the ouananiche, and then to turn to sea-trout 
fishing, for, with the exception of salmon, these two 
fish afford the greatest sport that the angler can find. 
As has been stated, all rivers flowing into the St. 
Lawrence below Quebec, and those running into the 
Saguenay, are naturally trout waters. With the 
going out of the ice, often earlier, the trout all run 
down to salt water, and remain there until July or 




I s 



132 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

August, when the J again ascend the rivers prepara- 
tory to spawning. 

During June and July, until all have ascended 
the rivers, these fish are always found in the vicinity 
of the mouths, in what might in reality be called the 
spring holes. They seem to require cold water, as do 
fresh-water trout. Here they are taken with the fly, 
or with bait, if one prefers. This fishing is done 
from boats, as the fish are generally too far out from 
shore to be reached otherwise. Usually sea trout 
are very plentiful, and it is rarely indeed that a day's 
fishing will not give satisfaction in the number taken. 
Exactly the same tackle is used as for ouananiche, 
trout, or bass, and the same flies, both in kind and 
size. The area to be fished in is generally much 
larger than that of a spring hole in fresh-water lakes, 
and gives the fisherman ample opportunity to test his 
casting ability. Occasionally during the day, and 
always in the late afternoon, the trout are seen rising 
as in fresh water. The fly should be dropped into 
the swirl they make, a strike being almost invariably 
the result. This is one of the many occasions where 
accuracy is required, and the necessity of acquiring 
it will be seen. 

While small sea trout are often taken, their aver- 
age weight will be found to be greater than that of 
the fresh-water variety. Fish of 3 and 4 pounds 




1 



134 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

are often taken, and of 6 to 8 pounds occasionally. 
They fight hard, as do all trout, and afford unbounded 
sport. As explained in a previous chapter, the exte- 
rior colorings of trout change materially upon their 
leaving fresh water for the sea. The bright colors 
and spots become dull, and the fish lacks much of its 
former beauty. No change occurs in the color of the 
flesh or its excellent qualities for the table. 

When the fish begin to leave the sea and ascend 
the rivers, the bright colorings not only return, but 
actually appear to be more beautiful than those of the 
trout that always remain in fresh water. Here they 
are found in the deeper holes, and rise greedily to a 
fly. Their greediness is difficult to understand, as most 
of the rivers referred to are salmon streams, and trout 
are mortal enemies of young salmon, being almost 
always gorged with these fish when taken. They 
are so plentiful and constantly increasing that it is 
feared they will destroy the salmon. In many rivers 
an effort is being made to stop their ascent from 
the sea by placing a series of nets across the mouths 
of the streams. As trout do not ascend until long 
after the salmon have gone up, there is no interfer- 
ence. The result of the experiment is being watched 
for anxiously. The lessee of any salmon river will 
gladly give permission to fish it for trout for the rea- 
sons given. 



OUANANICHE AND SEA-TROUT FISHING 135 

But little attention, comparatively speaking, has 
been given to sea trout, principally because their 
nature was not understood, and, in fact, but Httle has 
been said or written in regard to them to arouse 
interest. The lessees of the sea-trout streams on 
Long Island are very enthusiastic over the fishing 
they secure, as are those sportsmen who have sought 
it in Canada. The Canadian rivers are now more 
quickly and easily reached than formerly, and as the 
fish are rapidly acquiring fame they are bound to 
become much sought after by anglers. However, 
sea-trout fishing is but fishing for brook trout under 
different conditions, and amid varied surroundings. 
They offer, however, two extra inducements — they 
are more plentiful and usually average larger. 



CHAPTER XIII 



ANGLING FOR BASS 



/i 



The descriptions given of the meth- 
ods of catching salmon, ouananiche, and 
sea tront may not prove of immediate 
interest or assistance to many fishermen, 
but it is to be hoped that they will event- 
ually be of service to all. The subject 
of bass fishing, however, comes close to 
the heart of every angler, as they are 
beyond question the most widely distrib- 
uted, and doubtless the most sought for, 
of all fresh- water fish. Almost every 
one has caught a bass, or desires to catch 
one, and there is certainly nothing to 
prevent him. They ai-e very plentiful, 
and to be found on all sides. But they 
are hard fighters, and to catch them in 
numbers one must understand their nature, and be 
somethinof of a skilled fisherman as well. 

In Chapter Y, sufficient has been said regarding 
136 



mi 



A good string. 



ANGLING FOR BASS 137 

the nature and habits of the bass family to afford a 
good understanding of those points. Now the varied 
methods of catching them are to be explained. The 
most approved as well as the most skillful manner 
of taking black bass is with the fly, but that is not 
always possible, for very often they will not rise to 
one — can not be tempted with any kind. They may 
be too deep down, or the water may be roily, necessi- 
tating other methods of fishing that will place the 
bait near to them. As the methods are numerous, 
each will be explained in turn. 

As fly flshing for various fish has been fully 
explained a number of times thus far, it is not neces- 
sary to go into the matter in detail here. The same 
rods, reels, lines, flies, and leaders are used as for 
trout. IS^os. 4 and 5 flies are advocated by most 
fishermen, although a few prefer larger sizes. That 
is a matter of choice, but the decision of the majority 
seems best. 

Black bass should always be fished for on stone 
or gravel bars, whether in lakes or rivers — that is, 
the small-mouth variety. The large mouth are found, 
as previously described, in the vicinity of grass, flags, 
and weeds, and over muddy bottoms. They do not 
take the fly as readily as the small mouth, being 
more frequently taken on bait. Fishing for this 
variety will be described later. When the water is 



138 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

favorable, clear, and not too deep, the fly should 
always be used. Either on shore, or from a boat, 
position should be taken above the bar, if in a river, 
and the easts made down stream. Occasionally the 
flies should be allowed to drift down across the bar 
and to sway with the current, while lifting and drop- 
ping the tip of the rod from time to time is advised. 

Next to the ouananiche, the black bass is the 
hardest fighting fresh-water fish we have, not only in 
mad rushes, but in jumping as well. When they rise 
to the fly, a short, sharp strike is made with the rod 
to set the hook securely, if possible. It is necessary 
to know that the interior of a bass's mouth is almost 
entirely bone, therefore it should be struck harder 
than any other fish. When once it is hooked, patience 
must be practiced, as hurried effort to bring it to net 
usually results in its loss. Always wait until it is 
exhausted. With a good rod and the full strain put 
on the fish by giving the butt, it does not require a 
long time. Bass afford magnificent sport — enough to 
satisfy the desires of any fisherman. 

When flies are not successful, there are several 
other methods of taking bass that afford nearly equal 
satisfaction, provided a light rod is used, preferably 
a fly rod, except under certain conditions. One 
should always be prepared with bait for such emer- 
gencies, a variety being necessary to insure success. 





^•^ -W( 



'■i/ ./ 



1-iO FAMILIAR PISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

Live bait is required, including minnows, soft-shell 
crabs, dobsons, angle worms, and crickets; the first 
two being usually the best, though there are times 
when some one of the others only will be taken. 
Unless one desires to cast a small spinner, either with 
or without a minnow attached, or a minnow fastened 
to a plain hook, he will always get more sport by 
using a 6- or 7-ounce fly rod for bait fishing as stated. 
For spinner or minnow casting an 8- or 10 ounce rod 
is required, the latter being the best. In bait fishing. 



Spinner with Minnow. 

I^os. 2, 3, or 4 sproat or Kirby snelled hooks are the 
proper ones to use, and, if the line is to drift down 
across the bar, only suflicient weiglit of sinker should 
be attached to keep the bait under water, but not 
deep down. A fly rod used for this fishing makes 
the sport as keen as though a fly were used. It is 
catching a hard-fighting heavy fish on a light rod, but 
should not be attempted until one is thoroughly pro- 
ficient in handling such a rod. 

In fishing with bait, either by having it drift with 
the current in a river, or in deep water in a lake, 
ample time should be allowed the fish when it first 
bites before striking it. This is especially true in 



ANGLING FOR BASS 141 

using minnows. If the line is jerked when the bass 
first takes the bait, it will be pulled from its mouth 
before it has an opportunity to swallow the bait and 
to get the hook fast. Bj keeping the line taut 
the fish can be felt working at the bait. When 
gorged it will start away. Then is the opportunity 
to strike and set the hook. 

Minnow casting requires quite a little practice, as 
the minnow is easily thrown off. A fairly heavy rod 
is used, as stated, and the bait carefully cast back, 
until touching the water, two or three yards of line 
being pulled out from the reel and held in the left 
hand. Then the cast forward is slowly made, the 
slack held in the left hand being allowed to run 
out as the line straightens, the minnow drojDping 
gently into the water. It is allowed to sink a little 
and is slowly drawn back, another cast being made. 
Casting with a small spinner is done in exactly the 
same way. This kind of fishing will often prove 
successful when all other methods fail. 

All lakes inhabited by bass contain either rocky 
bars, or points and shelving shores of stones, upon or 
about which the fish will usually be found. If they 
run in shallow water, about ten feet deep, or less, flies 
can be used, but in deeper water bait fishing is better. 
Sinkers sufficiently heavy to carry down the bait 
should be used. When two or more are fishing 



142 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

together, different baits should be tried until it is 
found which is being taken the best. In using min- 
nows, hook them through the lips or through the back 
just under the dorsal fin — the former is preferable — 
especiallj with large bait. Two small crabs, about an 
inch long, seem to attract fish better than one large 
one. They should be hooked through the tails, and 
back to back. Dobsons and angleworms should be 
placed on the hook in such a way that they can 
squirm about. Two or three crickets, and often 
grasshoppers, make splendid bait. 

Yery frequently bass will be found on stony bot- 
toms at depths varying from 30 to 50 feet. To secure 
them so deep down, a very stiff bait rod is required, 
as fully 50 or 60 feet of line are necessary to reach 
that depth with a heavy sinker, and the fish can not 
be struck sufficiently hard to set a hook with a light 
rod. A minnow should be used for bait, and ample 
time allowed the fish to gorge it after the first bite. 
A long line being out, the advantage is on the side of 
the fish, great care being necessary to save it ; not a 
particle of slack should be allowed. 

When all other methods fail, the last resort is to 
troll a small spinner, with or without a minnow, or a 
minnow on a snell hook, very slowly across the bars 
or around stony points. No sinkers are used, and 
40 or 50 feet of line should be run out. In fishing 



ANGLING FOR BASS I43 

in this manner, tlie strike is usually made a moment 
or two after the lish bites, as a moving bait is gener- 
ally taken entire, the hook being in the mouth. 

All the preceding varieties of fishing refer j^artic- 
ularly to the small-mouth bass. As the habits of the 
large mouth are different, other methods are followed 
to capture them. One of the best ways, and a favorite 
one, is to cast a minnow, crab, or frog along the ilag- 
or weed-grown shore of a river. The boat should be 
slowly rowed, and a long rod used. This allows the 
bait to be carefully thrown in the shallow water with- 
out frightening the fish. A line not much longer 
than the length of the rod is used, permitting accurate 
casts to be made. This is usually a very successful 
way to catch these fish. Another method used in 
early summer, before the weeds have grown under 
water, is to drift as closely to shore as possible, fish- 
ing with a minnow. A No. 1 or No. 2 hook should 
be used, and the bait fastened through the lips. A 
heavy sinker is required, and a cork float is fastened 
to the line, about C feet above the hook. This should 
be floated about 15 feet back of the boat. If pre- 
ferred, the float need not be used, in which event the 
sinker is omitted and about 30 feet of line are run 
out. In either method the fish must not be struck 
until some time after it bites, giving it ample time to 
gorge the bait. A swivel must always be used between 



144 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

the snell and the line, as the minnow is constantly turn- 
ing and twists the line badlj. Of course, where 
practicable, one chn still fish from the shore or a boat 
with any of the baits mentioned for small-mouth bass, 
good catches being often made. Large- mouth bass 
are not looked upon with as much favor as the small- 
mouth variety. As already stated, they fight just as 
hard for a short time, but do not keep it up, as does 
their relative. l!^either are they considered equal as 
a table fish. They seem to taste, and almost to smell, 
of the bottom from which they are taken. 

Strawberry bass afford unlimited sport during the 
season when they are biting well. They are gen- 
erally found in large schools, but as they are constant- 
ly moving around, they must be followed about in a 
boat. In fishing near bridge abutments and old piers 
for black bass, the strawberry bass is often taken. 
It has a very small mouth, as the illustration shows, 
consequently small hooks and very small minnows 
must be used for bait. A Xo. 5 sproat hook is the 
best size and kind. 

'No one desires to catch rock bass, but, unfortu- 
nately, as we have seen, they bite, and often get 
caught. It is therefore not necessary to advise how 
to catch them. 

White bass, or, as they are otherwise known, striped 
or silver bass, are only caught by chance, and there- 



ANGLING FOR BASS 145 

fore can not be especially fished for. They are really 
inhal^itants of the (ireat Lakes, but a few run into 
the rivers tributary to them, and are occasionally 
caught when angling for other fish. They are taken 
on minnows and crabs. As they are determined 
fighters, anglers always hope that good fortune will 
send one to their hook. They are always taken with 
bait^ rarely, if ever, with flies. 



11 




CHAPTEE XIY 

HOW MUSKALLUNGE, PIKE, PICKEREL, AND PIKE 
PERCH ARE CAUGHT 

As lias been stated, 
muskallunge are not 
naturally very widely 
distributed tlirouffli- 

A trolling spoon. 

out tlie country, and 
although they are being artificially propagated by the 
New York State Fish Commission, but few, if any, 
are being planted in new localities. They are prob- 
ably the most voracious fish found in fresh waters, 
living entirely upon fish of all kinds. If placed in 
waters not hitherto inhabited by them, they will de- 
stroy a large number of other fish, if not exterminate 
them entirely. Their range includes Lakes Supe- 
rior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, the St. 
Lawrence River, the upper Ohio and Mississippi 
Eiver valleys* and rivers and lakes in Wisconsin, 
Minnesota, New York, and possibly one or two other 
States. In Canada a few are taken in the province 
146 



HOW MCSKALLUNGE ARE CAUGHT 14Y 

of Quebec, ])ut in Ontario tliey are present in great 
nunil)er.s in nearly all large waters. 

Muskallnnge are caught either by trolling or still 
fishing, according to the locality and their numbers. 
The method generally practiced is trolling, a spoon 
or minnow being most effective, though a piece of 
fish or meat cut in a long strip will often prove suc- 
cessful. In trolling, a hand line can be used, but the 
better plan is to use a strong, stiff trolling rod, in 
order to get the benefit of a reel. From the moment 
muskallunge are hooked until they are gaffed, the 
fisherman has his hands full. They are constantly 
rushing in all directions, and frequently leap from 
the water. Add to their natural fighting powers 
great size and weight, and it will be readily»under- 
stood how difiicult it is to check their rnns, or mas- 
ter them until they are exhausted by constant efforts 
to break loose. This requires some time, as the fish 
can not be hurried to any extent. It is in its game 
fighting powers that the muskallunge differs from 
the pike and pickerel. In fact it exceeds tliem, in 
this respect, practically beyond comparison. 

A trolling outfit consists of a No. 1 braided linen 
line fully 100 to 150 feet in length, Nos. 6 and 7 
oval and kidney spoons (nickel finish), heavy swivels, 
and an assortment of ringed sinkers. As a matter of 
safety, a twisted leader 3 feet lona^ should be fastened 




148 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

to the line with a swivel, and to that the spoon should 
be looped with another. In shallow water, trolling 
near the surface, a very light sinker is used, or none 
at all. As deeper fishing becomes necessary, heavier 
sinkers are exclianged for the smaller ones. We 
know now that in trolling with spoons for any variety 
of fish, treble hooks are a dis- 
advantage, double ones being 
much better. This is more 
particularly true with small 
fish, or those w i t h small 

Double hook. Treble hook. 

mouths. It is believed, how- 
ever, that even large fish often strike one of the 
three hooks and knock them all aside ; with two this 
is not* liable to happen. Double hooks will hold 
strongly enough, and very rarely fasten the jaws 
together as treble ones do, thus giving the fish more 
opportunity to fight. A simple plan is to file off 
one of the three hooks originally on the spoon. 

In trolling with a minnow, a gang of hooks espe- 
cially tied for the purpose on gimp (silk w^ound with 
wire), or on steel wire, should be employed. One 
composed of 'No. 2 double hooks will be best. Three 
of these are fastened one above the other, about two 
inches apart. Above them a No. 4 or No. 5 single 
hook is placed, to which the minnow is attached, 
hooking it through the lips. This is tied to the line 



HOW PIKE AND PICKEREL ARE CAUGHT 149 

or leader, with swivels and sinkers added, as in using 
spoons. A twisted, leader not only causes a spoon or 




A gang of hooks. 



gang to draw better through the water, but is much 
less liable to be cut through by the sharp teeth of 
the fish. 

Pike and pickerel are caught by the same meth- 
ods as described in taking muskallunge, with the 
addition of some others to be mentioned. Pickerel 
are more particularly a river fish, while pike usually 
make their home in the lakes. This is a general rule 
only, as both are often caught in circumstances just 
the reverse. In all rivers where flags and weeds line 
the shores heavily, pickerel, and often pike, will be 
found among them during most of the year, but espe- 
cially in the months of May, June, and July. In 
lakes they can be taken by trolling, until the weeds 
grow too high and prevent it. Pike and pickerel 
are rarely found in open waters with clean bottoms. 
Like the muskallunge, they hide in the weeds, ready 
to dart forth at their prey. All angling for these 
fish must therefore be done in the vicinity of these 
subaqueous growths. Ko. 4 or No. 5 spoons will 



150 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

prove to be of good size, unless very large fish are 
liable to be taken. 

In the spring and early snmmer large pike are 
caught by drifting with minnows, in the same man- 
ner as described for large-mouth bass in the preced- 
ing chapter. This can be done both with and with- 
out a cork float. The former method does not 
require as much skill, since the float indicates not 
only the bite of the fish, but its every subsequent 
movement. Without the float this must be learned 
by the sense of feeling. In the former case, when 
pike or pickerel take the bait, the float is immedi- 
ately pulled under water, reappears again in a few 
moments, and then is kept bobbing up and down, 
until finally it disappears, being gradually moved 
away. Then is the proper time to strike the fish. 
This delay is owing to the fact that the minnow, 
being always hooked through the lips, is first taken 
lightly by the fish and sloAvly turned about to be 
swallowed head first. The bobbing of the float indi- 
cates the turning of the bait, the final moving away 
and its disappearance showing that the minnow has 
been finally gorged and the hook taken well down 
into the mouth of the fish. It will be found more 
satisfactory to use a stiff trolling rod for this fishing, 
as the line can be kept well away from the boat, the 
strike made more effectually, and the fish more easily 



HOW PIKE AND PICKEREL ARE CAUGHT 151 

brought to net. A No. 2/0 or 'No. 1/0 wire or gimp 
snelled hook is the safest and best to use. 

It is a fact that trolling of any kind can be better 
performed with a rod, no matter what variety of fish 
is being caught. It gives a spring that a line held in 
the hand does not, and a reel is of the greatest benefit 
in addition. 

In good waters, still fishing for pike and pickerel 
is often practiced, minnows being used, and allowed 
to swim about by using a light sinker. This fishing 
requires a great amount of patience ; therefore it is 
much preferable to troll, to seek the fish if they .will 
not seek you. 

The majority of spoons, as made, have a tuft 
of feathers fastened about the hooks, and the best 
advice to give is to remove them at once. A small 
spoon or spinner with these feathers or a fly attached 
is particularly good for bass, but not for pike or pick- 
erel. If any addition to the spoon is needed, which 
is very rarely, use a minnow, alive or dead, or possi- 
bly a trailing piece of pork or fish. Several worms 
looped on the hooks make the spoon much more 
attractive for pike perch, and occasionally for pike 
and pickerel as well. 

When winter comes, and most of the fishing 
waters are frozen over, the majority of fishermen 
put away their tackle, regretting that their sport is 



152 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

ended for several months. This is an error, as they 
overlook the health-giving sport of fishing through 
the ice. In almost all States having a close season 
on pike, pickerel, and pike perch, fishing for them 
through the ice is allowed generally until March 1st 
— that is, in waters not containing trout of any kind. 
In waters containing them, such fishing is usually 
absolutely forbidden by law. This fishing is done 
in two ways, one of which is to have a small shanty 
on runners that is drawn over the ice to a good fish- 
ing point, and banked up tightly wdth snow to ex- 
clude the light. The windows are covered with 
board shutters for the same purpose, so that when a 
trap in the floor is opened and a hole cut through the 
ice, the fisherman, being in the dark, can see to a 
great depth, ample light coming through the ice on 
all sides. A small stove makes the interior comfort- 
able. With a hand line, good bait, and a sufficiency 
of patience, success comes in the end ; if not, the 
shanty can be quickly moved to another location. 
This is certainly a most comfortable and lazy method 
of fishing. 

The better plan — one that affords sport, exercise, 
and an opportunity to feel the benefits of the bracing 
winter air — is to fish with tip-ups. The varieties of 
these used in different localities are innumerable, but 
all are built on the same principles, for use either 



HOW PIKE AND PICKEREL ARE CAUGHT 153 



above or below water. A description and illustra- 
tion of the simpler method of constructing each, and 
using both, will be sufficient to make the subject 
clear. The above-water tip-up is composed primarily 
of a board 18 inches long, 2^ inches wide, and | inch 
thick, with a slot i inch wide, cut 5 inches down the 
center at one end. A piece of wire about -f^ inch 
thick and 20 inches long is bent around a piece of 
iron to make a small loop 8 inches from one end. 
This loop is placed in the slot and a nail driven 




Above-water tip-up. 



through the edge of the board, making a pivot for 
the wire to work upon. A 2-ounce lead sinker is 
arranged to slide freely on the short arm, and a hook 



154 FAMILIAR FISH, TIIEIE, HABITS AND CAPTURE 

formed on the extreme end, which is elevated to a 
considerable angle above the ice. At the end of the 
long arm a j)ieee of cloth is fastened. A line 20 or 
25 feet long is tied around the upright board, and all 
but 8 or 10 feet of it coiled upon the ice. At this 
point a loop is tied in the line and hung over the 
hook on the short end of the wire. A No. 2 or 'No. 
3 snell hook is used and baited with a minnow with- 
out a sinker. A shallow hole having been chopped in 
the ice, the upright is placed in it and water poured 
about it, which soon freezes and holds it in place. A 
hole 8 or 10 inches in diameter is cut to drop the 
line through. A fish biting pulls the arm down and 
releases the loop from the wire hook. The addi- 
tional line coiled upon the ice allows ample slack for 
the bait to be turned and gorged, so that when all is 
out the fish is brought up sharply and hooked. At 
the same moment the wire is pulled down releasing 
the line, the lead weight slides down to the hook at 
the end, holding it down, and the long end with the 
cloth attached is elevated in the air to signal a bite. 
The use of these tip-ups necessitates constant atten- 
tion to keep the water from freezing in the holes and 
holding the lines fast, and for this reason they can 
not be left overnight and worked successfully. 

The under-water arrangement is less elaborate, 
and is always in working order, night and day, no 



HOW PIKE AND PICKEREL ARE CAUGHT 155 

matter how liard it freezes. It is very simply con- 
structed. A number of spools should be turned 
of the following dimensions : diameter of ends, 3 
inches ; inside width, 2^ inches ; diameter of spin- 
dle, 1 inch ; thickness of ends, ^ inch. These should 
be turned from hard wood, thoroughly oiled, and in 



^--.^r— > 




Under-water tip-up. 

the edge on one side three or four holes bored close 
together and filled with lead. The lead prevents the 
spool from revolving freely, imless pulled hard by a 
fish. A hole is bored lengthwise entirely through 
the spindle, and a ^^-incb wire put through and bent 



156 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

up 1^ inch. The other end is bent up 16 to 20 
inches, according to the thickness of the ice, and bent 
over to form a hook 5 or 6 inches long. In use, 20 
or 25 feet of line are wound around the spool, and 6 
or 8 feet left hanging, to which are attached the same 
hook and bait as with the other tip-up. A stick is 
placed across the hole, and the loop of wire hung 
over it, allowing the spool to hang below the ice in 
the water. A fish biting unrolls the line from the 
spool until the end is reached, when it is hooked. If 
the hole freezes over, the ice can be broken at any 
time, and if the line is unrolled, a fish has taken the 
bait, otherwise not. 

In fishing through the ice, pike perch are taken 
as readily as are pike and pickerel, but they seem to 
take the bait best at night. In summer the favorite 
method of taking them is to troll with a 'No. 4 or 
No. 5 spoon without feathers, and two or three good 
worms looped on the hook. Trolling for these fish 
is usually done with 25 or 30 feet of line, about 15 
feet of No. 18 copper wire being fastened to it, the 
spoon being attached with a swivel. The wire is 
less noticeable than the line, causes the spoon to sink 
deep without a sinker, and reduces the liability of 
catching in the weeds. The depth desired is easily 
maintained by letting out or drawing in the line. 

Trolling with a gang, or single hook, with min- 



HOW PIKE PERCH ARE CAUGHT I57 

nows is also a favorite metliod of fishing for pike 
perch. As they are usually found in water ranging 
from 12 to 40 or 50 feet, deep trolling must occa- 
sionally be done. On a hard, clean bottom, still fish- 
ing with minnows or angleworms is often successful. 
In the early summer these fish are taken on river rifts 
in 5 or 6 feet of water by allowing the bait to drift 
down with the current from above, a sinker being 
used, with minnows for bait. Pike perch rarely rise 
to a fly. They are a particularly gamy, hard-fighting 
fish, and alford excellent sport. In taking them from 
the hook great care should be exercised, as their teeth 
are very sharp and liable to lacerate the fingers badly. 
The dorsal fin is composed of very sharp bristling 
spines that must be avoided as well. 



Hook disgorger. 

Muskallunge, pike, and pickerel also have particu- 
larly sharp teeth, and usually are hooked well back 
in the mouth ; a hook disgorger is therefore a good 
thing to carry in the tackle box. 




CHAPTER XY 

ANGLING FOR OTHER FRESH-WATER FISH 

The various fish described 
in Chapter YII, under the title 
Miscellaneous, receive, with one 
or two exceptions, but little at- 
tention from anglers. With the 
Three Perch at a cast. "lanj game fish to be taken, 
whose ranges, natural and from 
planting by Fish Commissions, are now covering the 
greater part of the country, these other fish are, in 
fact, to a certain extent, looked upon with contempt. 
This is a mistake, and a great one, as they afford, 
under favorable conditions, most excellent sport. 
Perches, carp, bullheads, and catfish can always be 
found and angled for, but sheepshead and ling are 
taken only by chance, except when the last named is 
fished for through the ice. 

Yellow-perch fishing is particularly amusing, and 
usually very successful. Owing to the great stretch of 
country over which they are now found, almost every 
158 



ANGLING FOR OTHER FRESH-WATER FISH I59 

one can have an opportunity of taking tliem. They 
are one of the best -known fish in the United States, 
and very few there are who have not cauglit them, 
especially when out for other fish. In fly casting 
for bass, or fishing with bait, or trolling for bass, 
pike, pickerel, and pike perch, these fish are very 
often cauglit. They are especially partial to min- 
nows, and frequently keep one busy catching them 
when bass especially are being sought. At such 
times they are a nuisance, as is the rock bass, and 
perhaps upon this account they are held in disrepute 
by many anglers. 

Perch grounds are easily found, always being on 
stony bottoms in the vicinity of the weeds along the 
shores and in the shallows of lakes. Small minnows 
make the best bait, with angle worms next, although 
they are frequently taken with small crabs and pieces 
of fish. From about August until the ice comes they 
rise readily to the fly, taking it best in September, 
October, and [N'ovember. The flies can be either 
cast or trolled, the latter being the more satisfactory 
and less tiresome way. As these flsh usually run in 
schools, large numbers will be seen following the cast, 
and with three flies on the leader, three fish are often 
taken simultaneously. If variety is desired, a small 
spinner can be substituted with equal success. Occa- 
sionally in trolling the fly in this way, small pickerel 



160 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

will be caught, which is in reahtj strange, as they 
are not at all a fish that rises to the fly. 

Fishing through the ice for perch is particularly 
good sport, as they bite fast and keep one busy. 
Tip-ups are generally used, but if it is not too cold, 
a hand line will take large numbers. For this fish- 
ing small minnows make the best bait. Provision 
for winter ice fishing must be made in the fall by 
securing a sufficient quantity of minnows before the 
brooks freeze up. They can be kept in a deep box 
or car through which the water flows freely, and so 
placed that when the ice comes the top will be above, 
and a good part of the box below it. They will not 
need feeding, although there is no harm in doing so 
occasionally. 

White perch are found only in rivers flowing into 
the sea on the Atlantic coast, and therefore must be 
classed as semi-fresh-water fish. While it is not 
known how long they remain in fresh water away 
from the sea, they are usually taken from April to 
September, although the season varies in different 
rivers. They are generally found in schools, and 
early in the season on or about muddy bottoms, but 
later are taken near rocky shores. Angle worms and 
pieces of fish are the favorite baits, and large strings 
are often caught in a few hours. That well-known 
salt-water fish, the striped bass, might be classed with 



ANGLING FOR OTHER FRESH-WATER FISH IGl 

this perch as a semi-fresh-water fish as well. They 
are found all along the Atlantic coast line, and have 
been successfully planted on the California coast. 
They ascend the rivers for a little distance to spawn, 
and are taken with bait and strong tackle in brackish 
water, or just above. 

Carp Avill never prove a favorite fish with anglers 
unless they are caught with the idea of exterminating 
them. As has been explained, they destroy the eggs 
of the game fish, and the majority look upon them as 
not a bit better than a sucker for food. The occa- 
sional angler, or those fishing for food, desiring to 
secure any fish possible, are about the only ones who 
care to catch them , It is possible that in good waters, 
isolated, and with proper food, the carp could be 
made a good table, fish ; as found to-day, they cer- 
tainly are not. They are taken only by hook and 
line, pieces of dead fish or meat, or even a thick cut- 
ting of potato being the best bait. ^N'othing alive, 
including worms, will attract them. 

Bullheads are found in all rivers, ponds, and lakes, 
and in nearly all of the States. They are occasion- 
ally taken when bait or still fishing for other fish, 
but the proper and successful methods consist of two 
only. One is still fishing, in localities where they 
are known to be, in which the fisherman can use 

several lines, using pieces of fish or meat for bait. 
12 



162 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

While bullheads are caught during the day, the best 
success is secured during the late afternoon and even- 
insT, even after dark. The other method consists of 
using a set line with a large number of hooks baited, 
as for still fishing. The line is put out at night, deep 
enough to place the hooks on the bottom. In East- 
ern waters good-sized catfish, often ranging from 10 
to 20 pounds, are taken in this way. In the Missis- 
sippi Kiver and its tributaries, and in the bayous of 
the South, large catfish, ranging in weight from 10 
up to 150 pounds, are taken in great numbers by 
both angling and set lines. Bullheads are esteemed 
by many a particularly good table fish. 

The sheepshead or drum, while taken frequently 
in nets, can not be angled for successfully in Northern 
waters, as they have no especial bottom where they 
can be found. They are quite frequently caught 
when still fishing for bass or pike perch, taking either 
a minnow or crab. Caught in this manner, they usu- 
ally range from 3 or 4 to 20 pounds in weight, but 
sheepshead weighing as much as 60 pounds are taken 
in netting. Those secured in the w^armer waters of 
the South are not considered as good a food fish as 
those taken in colder w^aters. The Southern fish are 
quite plentiful, and are caught by still fishing with 
almost any variety of bait. 

As has been previously stated, the burbot, known 



ANGLING FOR OTHER FRESH-WATER FISH 163 

more frequently as " ling," '* lawyer," or " cask," is a 
cold-water or IN^ortliern iisli. Like carp and bull- 
heads, it is especially a bottom fish. It can not be 
successfully fished for with bait exclusively, excej^t in 
some specially confined waters, where it is known to 
be plentiful. Similar to the sheepshead, it is occa- 
sionally taken with minnows, when fishing deep down 
for other fish. More frequently it is caught when 
fishing for bullheads at night, and upon set lines 
placed after dark. In many lakes, where burbot are 
plentiful, great sport may be had in catching them 
through the ice. Minnows should be used for bait. 
In 20 or 30 feet of water, over soft bottoms, they 
will be readily taken, if the bait is close to the mud. 
They are savage, hard fighters when hooked, and 
considerable efiPort is required to bring them up to 
and through the hole in the ice. They should be 
killed at once with a blow on the head, as the hook 
can be more easily removed, and they are prevented 
from squirming about, which they can do for a long 
time. 



CHAPTER XVI 



CAMPING HOW, WHEN, AND WHERE 




A camp breakfast. 



Camping out during the 
summer or early fall months 
is now looked upon as being 
the most enjoyable manner of 
living for the fisherman. As 
it is a subject so closely related 
to that of fish, especial atten- 
tion and space should be given 
to a thorough description of all pertaining to it. 
One can seek a vicinity where good fishing is known 
to exist, pitch a camp, fish much and rest little, at 
the same time gaining the healthful benefit that 
"roughing it" and living in the open air insure. 
Two things should be known in advance — namely, 
where to go and how to camp out. Of course the 
best season to catch fish, and the time one can get 
away to enjoy it, are also to be taken into consid- 
eration. 

Camping is seemingly a simple thing, but without 
164 



CAMPING— HOW, WHEN, AND WPIERE 1G5 

previous experience, or advice from those who have it, 
success can not be attained. The selection of the 
place to go to is most important, and it will be impos- 
sible, of course, to give advice on that point except in 
a general way. The wooded shores of a lake or banks 
of a river should be chosen, as large timber affords 
protection from the sun, as well as from rain and 
wind storms. Care should always be taken, however, 
in selecting a site, to avoid the vicinity of dead stand- 
ing trees, as they frequently fall during high winds. 
Another point to bear in mind is the vicinity of a 
spring, if possible, good water being a necessity, and 
spring water is more healthful than that from lakes 
or rivers. It is an easy matter to learn where to go, 
especially in the neighborhood of one's home, as the 
nearby fishing waters are well known. To secure the 
best sport and thoroughly enjoy camp life, however, 
one should get away from civilization — go into the 
wilderness. 

Considerable time is required for such a trip, and 
much expense attends it, a more elaborate outfit and 
guides being required. The mountains of Virginia, 
the wooded wildernesses found in Pennsylvania, 
Maine, Kew York, and many of the middle Western 
States, as well as the immense unsettled Rocky 
Mountain territory, afford unlimited country to select 
from. Unfortunately, the advance of the lumberman 



166 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

is depleting the forests, and settlements rapidly follow- 
in his steps. This necessitates the making of long 
and difficult journeys to reach the wilderness. The 
most satisfactory territory to seek at a minimum of 
expense, a country affording unlimited and most grati- 
fying sport, is that found in the Dominion of Canada. 
At a distance of from 30 to 200 miles north of the 
8t. Lawrence Kiver the wilderness commences and 
extends to Hudson and St. James bays and beyond. 
Several railroads have been recently built, extending 
north from various points, making access to any por- 
tion comparatively easy. From Quebec, the Quebec 
and Lake St. John Railroad extends 200 miles. From 
Three Rivers the Canadian Pacific operates a road 
some 30 miles up the St. Maurice River, connecting 
with a small steamer, which ascends about the same 
distance farther. Another branch of this road runs 
to St. Gabriel, opening up a fine section. From 
Ottawa, a road is now being extended, following up 
the Gatineau Yalley, which opens up an almost un- 
known country. On the Grand Ti'unk and Canadian 
Pacific one can stop at almost any station west of 
Ottawa, and drive back only a few miles to find prac- 
tically primeval forests. Georgian Bay and the 'Ne- 
pigon are now the favorite resorts for fishermen in 
that region. 

Next to the question of where to camp, that of 



168 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

how to do it successfully and comfortably is of the 
greatest importance. What kind of a camp to erect 
is first to be considered. During the warm summer 
months, the natural inclination is to erect an open 
camp of poles and bark. So far as the heat is con- 
cerned, this is certainly a most comfortable arrange- 
ment, but nothing can be more uncomfortable when 
such a camp is pitched in a section where mosquitoes, 
black flies, and punkies make their presence known. 
Possibly these pests may be warded off in an open 
camp by the use of mosquito netting, but it is doubt- 
ful. Experience recommends the use of a tent. 
True, it adds somewhat to the amount of baggage to 
be carried, but absolute comfort must first be con- 
sidered. In the fall, when the winged pests have 
gone, an open camp can be used, but a tent will then 
be found warmer, as the autumn nights are very cold 
in the woods. Another advantage of using a tent is 
the facility with which it can be taken down and 
erected, as it may be necessary to move the camp. 

How to build an open-front camp will be easily 
learned from the illustration. The better plan is to 
erect two or three courses of logs, laying light spruce 
poles closely together across the course next to the 
top, so that the poles will be held in place by the last 
course. This makes a spring bed, and, when covered 
w^th boughs, a very comfortable one. Poles for up- 



CAMPING— HOW, WHEN, AND WHERE 169 

rights and cross-pieces complete the frame, and bark^ 
forms the roof and sides. A similar camp can be 
built without the log foundation, and a good depth 
of boughs placed on the ground to sleep upon. A 
most comfortable camp bed is made from two 
breadths of heavy canvas, two and a half yards long, 




A camp bed. 

with the edges sewn strongly together, the ends be- 
ing left open. This bag is filled with spruce or 
balsam boughs, two spruce poles, about two and a 
half inches thick, being run through the bag. They 
should project far enough at each end to rest in 
heavy forked sticks driven well into the ground. A 
strong piece of wood should be fastened tightly be- 
tween the ends of the poles to prevent their draw- 
ino^ together. 

Only a thoroughly waterproof tent o-f the wall 
pattern should be used in camping, the size being 



170 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

decided bj the number who are to occupy it. A 
wall tent is much more comfortable and roomy than 
the A pattern. These tents are usually erected on 
two uprights supporting the cross pole, but as these 
uprights stand just in the middle of the entrance 
they are always a nuisance. The proper and better 
plan is to cut four poles, about eight or ten feet long, 
and to tie each pair together within a foot of the top, 
making shear legs. In the short crotches thus made, 
the ends of the cross pole are placed, after it has 
been put through the top of the tent. The stretcher 
stakes are then driven in and the stretcher ropes of 
the tent fastened to them, whereupon the top is 
elevated and the tent stretched taut by drawing the 
lower ends of the supporting poles together. Erected 
in this way, it is not liable to be blown over. When 
heat is required, the front flaps are thrown back, and 
the camp fire warms the interior. By closing the 
front tightly a good night's sleep is assured, as nei- 
ther mosquitoes nor flies can enter. During cold 
nights a tent will naturally be found much warmer 
than an open camp. 

Another question of importance in regard to 
camping is how to build a fire — that is, how to build 
one and secure the full benefit of it by throwing the 
heat into the camp or tent. Two 5 -foot stakes, 
about 6 inches thick, are driven firmly into the 



172 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

ground 4 feet apart, at a slight angle away from 
and at a proper distance in front of the camp. Four 
or five logs, about 12 inches in diameter and 5 feet 
long, are squared a little on two sides, and placed 
one upon the other against the stakes. The bottom 
log should be slightly imbedded in the earth to pre- 
vent the flames from burning under; the squared 
edges placed together prevent a draught through the 
crevices. In front of this slanting wall of logs a 
good fire is built, the wall reflecting the greater 
amount of heat into the camp. JN^aturally, these 
logs slowly burn through, and during the night, as 
the fire dies away, they will fall into the embers 
and furnish fresh fuel. An ordinary fire heats a 
camp but little, most of the heat being wasted. 

An open shanty, or tent, consisting of a roof 
upon poles, but without sides, will be found very 
convenient for cooking and eating, giving protec- 
tion from the weather. One end can be closed, and 
shelves placed against it to hold provisions. A table 
and bench are easily made with forked sticks driven 
into the ground and covered with flattened poles and 
bark. Pegs can be driven under the roof to lay fish 
rods on to dry out when not in use. 

There is nothing that causes more trouble to 
intending campers than the preparation of a list of 
necessaries, and almost invariably something is for- 



CAMPING-HOW, WHEN, AND WHERE 173 



gotten. The greatest mistake to guard against, how- 
ever, is taking too much. It only adds to the amount 
of baggage, delays progress, and in the end proves to 
be of no material benefit. A carefully prepared list 
of necessaries based upon experience may prove of 
value, and is given below : 

Coffee pot (enameled). 

Four tin pails, small to large. 

Plates (enameled). 



Pork. 

Bacon. 

Flour. 

Bread. 

Crackers. 

Butter. 

Coffee (ground). 

Tea. 

Baking powder. 

Condensed milk. 

Sugar (lump). 

Salt. 

Pepper. 

Maple sugar for pancakes. 

Prepared pancake flour. 

Beans. 

Oatmeal. 

Rice. 

Canned corned beef. 

Prunes for stewing. 

Matches. 

Soap. 

Candles (adamantine). 

Cornmeal for frying fish. 

Three frying pans (Acme). 



Bowls, not cups (enameled). 

Spoons for table and cooking. 

Knives and forks. 

Large butcher knife. 

Salt and pepper shakers (tin). 

Cans for sugar, salt, coffee, and 
tea. 

Mixing pan for pancakes. 

Broiler (wire). 

Axe. 

Nails. 

Rope, 

Jamaica ginger. 

Quinine, 

Toilet paper. 

Towels. 

Blankets. 

Books, 

(If desired, and convenient to 
carry, potatoes and canned 
goods can be added.) 



It is difficult to give quantities, as fishermen alone 
do not require as much as when guides are to be 



1Y4 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIK HABITS AND CAPTURE 

fed. It is well to- provide a pound of either pork or 
bacon per day for each man. For a two weeks' trip 
for a party of four the following quantities will suf- 
fice : twenty -five pounds of flour, a few loaves of 
bread only, as it dries quickly, 5 pounds of crackers, 
12 pounds of butter, 4 pounds of coffee, 2 pounds of 
tea, 1 large can of baking powder, 6 cans of con- 
densed milk, 6 pounds of sugar, 1 small sack of salt, 
J pound of pepper, 2 pounds of maple sugar, 6 pack- 
ages of pancake flour, 4 quarts of beans, 3 pounds of 
oatmeal, 2 pounds of rice, 6 cans of corned beef or 
tongue, 2 pounds of prunes, and candles (3 pounds of 
twelves). The quantities of the other articles men- 
tioned can be decided without difficulty. The fig- 
ures given above are absolutely reliable. The whole 
list covers real necessaries, and can be added to if 
desired. 

The fish taken add materially to the various 
meals. And, by the way, when tired of fried and 
broiled fish, try boiling them in a pail with a gener- 
ous piece of pork — nothing can be better. 

A few nails and a piece of rope are often found 
very convenient in camp. Do not forget ginger and 
quinine, as they alleviate the minor ills often attend- 
ant upon camping out. Always be sure that all pails 
for cooking are made with seamed joints — not sol- 
dered — as otherwise they come apart in the fire. 



CAMPING-HOW, WHEN, AND WHERE 175 

Butter can be kept perfectly fresh in a cold spring 
away from tlie air., 

Camping kits are made by several manufacturers, 
containing in a small compass everything necessary. 
They comprise all utensils needed for cooking and 
the table, and boxes for sugar, salt, etc. All are 
compactly packed in a large pail. Such a kit weighs 
much less than the various articles w^hen slathered 
together otherwise, and is much more convenient, 
occupying a smaller space. 

One of the greatest conveniences in camping, and, 
in fact, for fishing trips of all kinds, is a rubber pon- 
cho. It is easily made from three yards of light 
weight imitation rubber-coated cloth, such as is used 
for buggy tops. It comes fifty inches wide. A slit, 
just large enough to allow^ the head to pass through, 
is cut lengthwise in the center of the cloth, accord- 
ing to width, but a little ahead of the lengthwise 
center. It is in reality a blanket with a slit in it to 
put the head through. In case of rain, if out in a 
boat, it protects one perfectly, and fishing can be con- 
tinued without getting wet. Walking through the 
woods it offers perfect immunity from rain or wet 
brush. At night it makes a good blanket to sleep on, 
as it protects one from dampness, while in extremely 
cold weather it makes a cold-proof covering. Being 
entirely open at the sides, it is cool and does not 



176 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

cause the wearer to perspire as does a rubber coat. 
Moreover, in case of rain it covers one entirely, 
while a rubber coat only protects to the knees. It 
packs up in a small compass and weighs but three 
or four pounds. 

Another necessary article, and a great convenience 
as well, is a No. 2 square rubber air pillow. When 
filled it reheves the hardness of the seat of a boat 
when occupied for some time, is a hfe preserver in case 
of accident, and makes an excellent pillow at night. 

In locating a camp or tent, care should be taken 
to erect it on a slight knoll, if possible, and, in 
addition, a small trench should be dug around it. 
Without these precautions, in case of a heavy contin- 
ued rain, water and dampness will most certainly 
cause trouble. 

In cooking for camp, a separate fire from that 
used for heating is to be employed. It should be 
small, and started a full hour before meal time, to 
insure a quantity of embers, as they cook much better 
than a smoky flame. A forked stick is driven into 
the ground on each side of the fire, across which a 
pole is laid to hold the cooking pails. A simpler 
method is to drive light poles, some six feet long, into 
the earth, at such an angle, that, when a pail is hung 
on the end it will be at just the right height over 
the fire. 



CAMPING— HOW, WHEN, AND WHERE 177 

Fresh bread and biscuits, if one can make them, 
are a hixiirj in camp, and it is not at all necessary 
to carry an oven to do the baking. The dough is 
placed in a large metal plate, and another one laid 




How to cook over a camp fire. 

reversed over it. A hole is then raked in the edge 
of the embers of the fire, and the plates placed there. 
Occasional watching is necessary to prevent burning, 
the ultimate result being perfect baking. Fish can 
be baked in the same manner. 

One of the greatest errors that can be made by 
those intending to camp out, especially when every- 
thing taken must be carried any considerable distance, 
is to include in the baggage more clothing than is 
necessary. It is well, therefore, to give a list of 
what is actually needed, which should not be 
exceeded. Corduroy makes the most durable suit 

for fishing, as a dark color does not show dirt, and 
13- 



178 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

the clotli is difficult to tear. Have knickerbockers 
rather than bJoomers made, as branches and twigs 
rnay catch the vokiminous baggy knees, thereby tear- 
ing them. One pair is sufficient, together with coat 
and vest. Two suits of underclothing, two pairs of 
stockings, and a sweater complete the j^rincipal outfit. 
IS^ecessaries in the way of handkerchiefs, towels, comb 
and brush, razor, small looking-glass, shaving brush, 
tooth brush and powder, are added. One suit of 
underclothes and one pair of stockings can be easily 
washed out w^hen the others are in use. By all means 
wear a tam o' shanter, as it alfords excellent pi'otec- 
tion from rain, sun, or cold, and makes a good night 
cap in cold weather. Also of value is a j^air of low 
canvas, rubber-bottom tennis shoes, to wear about 
camp when boots or shoes are removed. The above 
list is all that is necessary, and reduces the amount of 
;^ersonal baggage to a minimum. 

Only a few hints on camping can be given in a 
limited space, the subject being worthy of a volume 
by itself. But perhaps a sufficient general idea has 
been given to enable one to make a first attempt in a 
comfortable way. For the rest, experience is the 
best teacher, and one soon learns to know all the 
minor things that go far to make a sojourn in camp 
delightful. 



CHAPTER XYII 



SPECIAL HINTS FOR ANGLERS 




A fisherman photographer. 



There are a number of 
general hints not embodied 
in tlie preceding chapters that 
should be noted by those in- 
tending to become anglers. As 
they pertain to varied subjects, 
they can properly be treated 
in a chapter by themselves. 
As reference has been made to those summer 
pests, mosquitoes, black flies, and other winged 
insects, it is well to give a recipe for keeping them 
at a proper distance. Everyone naturally recommends 
pennyroyal, citronella, and tar oil. All are good in 
their way, but not sufiiciently so. The two former 
offer perfect immunity while they last, but, as they 
are essential oils, they evaporate quickly, and must 
be used every fifteen or twenty minutes. Tar oil, 
composed of tar and sweet oil, is also good, but, as it 
does not harden when applied to the skin, it is rubbed 

179 



180 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

off readily, tlms leaving many spots open to attack. 
Absolutely the best protection is afforded by tar and 
vaseline. The proper proportions are two thirds 
pure tar and one third vaseline, which should be 
thoroughly mixed. This must be kept in large- 
mouthed bottles for convenient use. A sinscle thor- 
ough application a day, unless one perspires freely, is 
sufficient, and it washes off easily with cold water and 
soap, leaving no stain. A few moments after appli- 
cation it becomes tacky, and in ten minutes hardens 
so that nothing can rub it off. It will keep all 
winged pests at a distance. 

In regard to artificial baits, such as imitation min- 
nows, frogs, crabs, dobsons, etc., they are not to be 
recommended. While at times they may attract an 
occasional fish, they will not bring sufficient return 
to pay for the expense of purchasing them. If nat- 
ural bait does not succeed, imitations will certainly 
fail. They are very good in theory, but very poor 
in practical results. 

A great fault with fishermen, even those of much 
experience, is the lack of care given to tackle, no 
matter how expensive it may be. Hods, especially, 
should receive close attention. When fishing is 
finished for the season, they should be taken from 
their cases, and, if sprung out of shape, jointed and 
hung up by the end of the tip for the winter. Their 



SPECIAL HINTS FOR ANGLERS 181 

own weight will straighten them out. In addition, 
they will dry out thoroughly, so that they can receive 
a good coat of varnish in the spring, which should 
always be given them. Spar varnish will be found 
to be the most elastic and lasting. Lines should be 
wound from reels on blocks, and the reels properly 
oiled. Fly books should be placed out of reach of 
moths, and a little camphor packed with them. The 
leader box must be dried out, and anything liable to 
rust coated with oil. A little care will avoid loss 
and the unnecessary expense of replacing tackle 
spoiled through lack of it. 

Especial care should be taken in using split bam- 
boo rods. The most necessary rule to observe is to 
change tips constantly, in order that they may not 
become water-soaked from too long service, as this 
causes them to untwist and break. A change should 
be made at least twice a day. JSTever leave rods out 
in the rain ; always keep them under cover and dry. 

A rale to be closely observed, but generally 
neglected, is always to examine all tackle, particularly 
lines, leaders, flies, and snell hooks, before using in 
the spring. With the best of care, age will weaken 
them so that they will break easily, especially in the 
case of gut. It is far from pleasant to lose a fish 
through faulty tackle, which an examination would 
have discovered and thrown aside. In fact, leaders, 



182 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

flies, and liooks should always be tested by a good 
strain and sharp jerks before use. 

In the present age, photography has been added 
to the necessary acquirements of the fisherman. Not 
only can beautiful bits of scenery be preserved, but 
also the scenes of happy outings, circumstances con- 
nected with them, and especially noted catches of 
fish. Photographs of fish caught will prove to be of 
the greatest value, since by showing them one is 
always able to prove any fish stories told. All stories 
of catches, no matter how truthful, are doubted now- 
a-days ; hence the necessity of authentication. It is 
well to know that in photographing fish something 
should always be placed in the picture to give an idea 
of their size. A rule, hat, net, rod, or something of 
that sort, proves the size of the fish caught beyond 
question. Be sure to have this article at the same 
distance from the camera as the fish. To secure the 
best results in taking pictures, glass plates should be 
used instead of films, notwithstanding their inconven- 
ience. The old-fashioned cap-o£f-and-on exposure will 
be found better than the shutter, except where motion 
is to be taken. Photography in the woods is most 
difficult, and time exposures not given by a shutter 
secure better results. Considerable practice in forest 
photography is necessary to insure satisfactory results, 
as the shadows from the trees are very dense. 



184 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 




In stream fishing for trout hooks and hnes are 
frequently caught in the overhanging trees. A so- 
called " releaser " is shown in the accompanying cut, 
and should be included in the tackle 
box. The tip of the rod is inserted 
under the rubber band placed about 
the base, and with it the releaser can 
be elevated to the branch where the 
hook is caught. Being placed above, 
the rod is pulled out, and a sharp tug 
on the string attached cuts the branch 
and releases the hook. This saves 
hooks, time, and especially temper, 
and at the same time prevents scaring 
the fish. 

Three kinds of fish are, or should 
be, skinned in dressing them for 
cooking. The bullhead is always so 
treated, as it is a skin not a scale fish. 
Its skin is not only tough, but serves to retain the 
natural unpalatable fat that it carries in great quan- 
tity. It is now a well-known fact that black bass 
have a much finer flavor if skinned before frying or 
broiling. There is a decidedly bitter taste to the skin 
that can thus be avoided. The yellow perch should 
always be skinned, not only to improve its flavor, but 
because it is necessary. Being a small fish they are 



A releaser. 



SPECIAL HINTS FOR ANGLERS 185 

difficult to scale, making the work slow. There is a 
knack in skinning perch that is easily learned. A 
strong knife and the pliers from the tackle box are 
required. An incision, about half an inch deep, is 
made on each side of the backbone from head to tail, 
and the skin cut all around just back of the head. 
With the pliers the skin is taken at the circular cut, 
and a quick, sharp pull will tear it off entire from 
one side. The operation is then repeated on the 
other. The cuts along the back loosen the dorsal 
fin, which is pulled out, the entrails are removed, 
and the head cut off. With a little practice a fish 
can be cleaned quicker than this can be related. 
The same method is followed in skinning bass and 
bullheads. 

Special care should be taken to know thoroughly 
the location of the various fishing places in a radius 
of twenty-five miles or more from one's home, and 
every effort made to learn the best spots to fish in 
each. Having learned from the preceding chapters 
the habits of fish and the particular places where they 
should be found, one can know just where to fish 
and obtain success. Rivers and lakes should be sur- 
veyed, and likely spots fished over carefully. Fish- 
ing at random is useless and time lost ; practical 
judgment is absolutely necessary to make a success- 
ful fisherman. The practice of the virtue of patience 



180 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

must not be overlooked, since if fish will not bite 
even when tempted in all ways, one must await their 
pleasure. Often it is only after repeated trials that 
the value of a promising spot can be decided. 

The Canadian Government now obliges intending 
nonresMent fishermen to obtain a license or permit 
before fishing in any waters of the Dominion. This 
does not apply to the St. Lawrence Eiver, however. 
The license costs $5 for three months, and $10 
for six months, is nontransferable, and must be 
renewed annually. Members of any fishing club 
located in that country are exempt. A local fishing 
warden will be found in each district to demand and 
issue licenses. 

The illustration of a fish found on the opposite 
page shows clearly the proper name applied to each 
fin, as well as to the different parts of the body. 
While it is not absolutely necessary to know the 
various names applied to the fins, it is well to learn 
them, as constant references are made to them in 
almost all books on fishing. 

There is never any necessity for ignorance of 
the points of the compass when in the woods — 
that is, during daylight — as E'ature provides several 
methods of determining them. Nearly all trees will 
be found to have a strip of moss along the trunk. 
It is a known fact that in three quarters or seven 




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188 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

eighths of the cases it is on the north side. Bj 
noting several trees, the majority having the moss 
on the same side will indicate that direction. Bj 
closely observing spruce trees, it will be found an 
invariable rule that the heaviest branches are on the 
south side. The Canadian Indians also claim that on 
every perfect hemlock tree the topmost twig bends to 
the east. Another perfect compass can be devised 
with a watch. Point the hour hand directly at the 
sun, and exactly halfway between that hand, wherever 
it may be, and the figure XII on the dial, lies the 
south. 

A very useful table to determine the weight of 
brook trout, which is practically correct, is as fol- 
lows : 

13 inches long, weight 1 pound 

14 " " '* 1^ pounds 

15 " " " H " 

16 " " " If " 

17 " " " 21 " 

18 " " " 3i '' 

19 u u u 3 a 

20 " " " 3i " 

n-i a " " 4 " 

22 " " " 4| " 

23 " " " 5| ^' 

When trolling with a spoon, spinner, or gang, it 
should be drawn in and constantly examined, as 
pieces of loose grass or weeds are frequently caught 
without the fact being known-. A small piece trail- 



SPECIAL HINTS FOR ANGLERS 



189 



ing from the hook renders the bait useless. In still 
fishing the bait should often be examined, to see that 
nothing is attached to it, and that it is uninjured. 
Hooks of all kinds should be looked over closely, as 
the points often are broken or bent. A file remedies 
this trouble. They should also be kept clean and 
free from rust throuo-h the medium of emerv cloth, a 
piece of which should be in the tackle box. A little 
metal polish and a piece of flannel also added to the 
box will be found useful in kee23ing 
spoons and spinners bright. 

The shores of nearly all lakes 
and rivers throughout the country 
abound with frogs, whose hind legs, 
properly cooked, form a dish note- 
worthy for its excellence. They can 
be secured with a hook, by spearing, 
or may be killed with a heavy stick. 
When they are found plentifully in 
the water, a hook fastened to a short 
line, tied to a stiff pole, and baited 
with a piece of red flannel captures 
them readily. A frog spear secures 
them more quickly, but practice is required to handle 
it. All grassy meadows adjoining rivers and lakes 
will be found to contain many frogs during the sum- 
mer and fall. Here the stick comes into play. No 




A frog spear. 



190 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

matter how caught, all should be killed at once with 
a blow on the head. The bone that fastens the hind 
legs to the body is severed with a strong-bladed knife. 
Grasping the severed skin between the edge of the 
blade and the thumb, a sharp pull removes it entire, 
and the legs are ready to be cooked. Always throw 
the remains of the frogs into the water to prevent 
their decaying about the camp. 

The average camp cook confines himself entirely 
to either frying or broiling fish, which, after a few 
meals, causes the dish to be disliked. \^ariety in 
the methods of cooking will avoid this trouble. As 
already said, a most excellent way to prepare either 
small fish, or large ones cut into good-sized pieces, 
is to place them in a covered pail or kettle of Lot 
water over the fire, and, adding a generous piece 
of pork, allow them to boil about half an hour. 
The pork will season the fish excellently. The finest 
method of all, however, is to bake a fish in the sand. 
l^ot only is the whole flavor and all the juice pre- 
served, but the operation is quickly performed. A 
fire of ample size is built on the sand, sufiicient to 
heat it to a depth of a foot or more, and is kept 
burning at least an hour. A. good-sized fish of any 
kind is cleaned, thoroughly washed, and two or three 
tablespoonfuls of butter, with salt and pepper, placed 
inside. The sides of the belly are then folded 



SPECIAL HINTS FOR ANGLERS 191 

tightly one over the other, and a piece of string 
wound about the entire fisli. It is then rolled in 
several thicknesses of heavy brown paper, birch 
bark, or cloth, and again tightly tied about with 
string. The embers of the hre are brushed aside and 
a hole dug in 'the hot sand about a foot deep. The 
fish is quickly placed in it, the sand scraped over it, 
and a few embers placed on top to continue the 
heat. Tw^enty minutes will cook the fish, and an un- 
rivaled feast is ready. 

To preserve fishing boots and shoes properly, 
keep them soft, and absolutely waterproof, nothing 
can equal pure cod-liver oil. It seems to penetrate 
deeper, and is so heavy -bodied that it lasts. Several 
applications should be made, and each allowed to dry 
in by holding the boot over the fire. If one is in the 
water much, the oiling should be repeated every two 
or three days. 

Experience shows that the best hours of the day 
for fishing are those of the early morning and of the 
late afternoon, continuing until dusk. If the weather 
is rainy, cloudy, or dark, equal success may be met 
with throughout the day, but it is the exception, 
not the rule, to find good fishing during the bright 
noonday hours. 

Do not forget to provide an anchor of some kind, 
as it will be found necessary on every fishing trip. 



192 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

A large stone that will hold a rope tied about it, or a 
large piece of scrap iron, will each prove excellent. 
If the weather is at all windy and still fishing is to 
be done, two anchors should be provided, one each 
at bow and stern, to keep the boat from constantly 
swinging about. 

Mist or dark-colored leaders are always the best 
to use, being less noticeable in the water. If one is 
unable to secure them, it is a very simple matter to 
prepare a stain. This is effected by soaking them 
over night in a strong solution of either coffee or tea. 
A weak solution of logwood, with a little alum added, 
is also very good. Avoid. the use of light-colored 
leaders 

When it is desired to preserve fish for several 
days, and ice can not be obtained, they should be 
wiped perfectly dry inside and out and packed in 
moss. One should not be allowed to touch another. 
The blood must be carefully cleaned from the inside 
along the backbone, and a little salt and sugar, or 
salt and soda rubbed in the interior. Fish can be 
kept quite a long time by burying them a foot deep 
in moss, under the roots of a tree, in a well-shaded 
spot. 

Snow or finely shaved ice will melt much slower, 
and therefore preserve fish much longer, than will 
ice broken into ordinary -sized pieces. It should be 



SPECIAL HINTS FOR ANGLERS 193 

packed very hard, to prevent the circulation of air 
through it. 

It is a good idea always to examine the stomachs 
of all fish caught, and note what particular food they 
are taking. It will aid materially in making a good 
catch, when a random choice of baits or flies does not 
succeed. 



14 



CHAPTEK XYIII 



All that has been said thus far in this book indi- 
cates what one should do to become a fisherman. It 
is necessary now to call attention to many things that 
one should not do. A large number of these don'ts 
pertain to personal safety, and call for careful ob- 
servance. 

Don't go out in a small boat tightly wrapped up 
in heavy overcoats, and, above all, never wear high 
rubber boots on such a trip ; in case of an accident 
the most powerful swimmer would be drowned. If 
heavy clothing is necessary, be ready to throw it off 
in a moment. The boots are never needed in a boat ; 
if they are to be used on shore, they can be easily 
put on when required. A leather coat, wool lined, 
worn over a sweater, and heavy underclothing, afford 
ample warmth, and will not interfei-e materially with 
swimming. 

Don't change seats in a boat unless absolutely 
compelled to ; attempts to do this have caused more 
194 



COMPRISING A CHAPTER ON DON'TS I95 

drowning accidents than any other one thing. It is 
safer and better to go ashore, if possible. If a change 
must be made, the one in the stern should move care- 
fully to the middle seat and sit there, quietly bal- 
ancing the boat, while the one rowing slowly passes 
him on hands and knees, l^ot until he is seated in 
the stern should his companion move to the ffont seat 
to take the oars. 

Don't use unsafe boats of any kind. Those that 
are too small, cranky, rotten, or leaky are to be 
avoided. Too many chances are taken by fishermen 
in this respect, with the resale that too many unneces- 
sary accidents result. A boat that is too small or 
cranky can not stand heavy waves, and a quick, acci- 
dental movement may overturn it. Rotten and leaky 
boats are generally dangerous. 

Don't under any circumstances lean too far over 
the side of a boat, either in recovering something 
dropped in the water or in netting a fish ; it often 
results in falling overboard or tipping over. Guard 
against this fault in every way, as it is an especially 
bad one. 

Don't stand up in a small boat, no matter what 
occurs, as it is the very acme of carelessness. All 
weight must be kept as near the bottom of the boat 
as possible. 

Don't attempt to sail a rowboat with a regular or 



196 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

improvised sail unless you have a thorough knowl- 
edge of how to do it. It is, unfortunately, a most 
common practice, but nothing can be more dan- 
gerous. 

Don't attempt, when alone, to row a boat in 
rough water and to fish with a rod or troll at the 
same time. In such a case the management of the 
boat demands undivided attention. 

Don't be careless in getting in and out of a boat, 
especially where the water is deej), as a misstep means 
a plunge overboard. Always draw a boat well up 
on shore when not in use, as a sudden wind and high 
waves will otherwise easily drift it away. 

Don't, under any circumstances, take a loaded gun 
into a boat, unless it be one with the shells or car- 
tridges in the magazine, not in the barrel. A lurch 
of the boat may throw the gun to the bottom and 
explode it, killing some one, or blowing a hole 
through the bottom. 

Don't ever follow the dangerous practice of row- 
ing your boat as near a passing steamboat as possible 
in order to catch the resulting swells. They are very 
dangerous, and even with skillful management often 
cause a boat to be overturned. 

Don't ever sit in a rowboat when having it towed 
behind a steamer. A sudden lurch or turn might 
throw the occupant out or capsize it. 



COMPRISING A CHAPTER ON DONTS ly7 

Don't forget to keep a careful lookout for snags 
or stones just below the surface when rowing a boat. 
There is a possibility of knocking a hole through 
the bottom, but the more common danger lies in the 
fact that the boat usually runs upon the obstruction 
and rocks badly with the effort to get it off. 

Don't ever approach closely to any hunters, espe- 
cially when they are walking along the shore. This 
will prevent any danger of being shot, and at the 
same time avoid the possibility of frightening any 
game they may be seeking. 

Don't ever leave a fire in the woods, no matter 
how small, either when leaving camp temporarily or 
permanently. It may creep along the ground, or a 
strong wind may blow the sparks about, causing the 
burning of the camp, or even a disastrous forest fire. 
Make a mental note always to extinguish the fire or 
embers with a pail of water. 

Don't ever trespass on waters or grounds pre- 
served by individuals or clubs, as it may lead to 
arrest and considerable trouble. Moreover, from a 
moral point of view it should not be done. Treat 
others as you would have others treat you, no matter 
how great the temptation, and how much better the 
fishing may be there. 

Don't violate the game laws. This means much, 
and is a subject worthy of a lengthy sermon. The 



198 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

fish laws are founded upon the necessity of protecting 
fish during the spawning season, and their disregard 
means the killing of hundreds of fish for each one 
taken. The true sportsman will observe the close 
seasons for fishing as readily as he will any moral 
obligation. The necessity for protecting fish when 
spawning has been fully explained in the chapter on 
hatching and propagating, and especial attention is 
called to it here. Do not, under any circumstances, 
break the law. The open season is sufficiently long 
to afford ample sport. Maintain also the law in 
regard to taking undersized fish. The illegal sizes 
are too small for the table, and no honor accrues 
from taking them. Above all, never take more of 
any kind of fish than are actually required. There 
are many times when fish bite readily, and the temp- 
tation is to catch as many as possible. As has been 
stated in a previous chapter, if one simply can not 
withstand the temptation the fish should be thrown 
back into the water, only those badly injured being 
kept. This affords ample sport without slaughter. 
Don't throw back fish that are badly injured and liable 
to die. It is more humane to kill them at once, and to 
keep them, even if caught accidentally out of season. 
Certain directions should be given in this regard, 
however. Especial care must be taken in throwing 
back trout that have been caught, to wet • the hand 



COMPRISING A CHAPTER ON DON'TS 199 

thoroughly before taking hold of the fish to remove 
it from the hook. A dry hand removes sufficient of 
its natural slime to cause it to die eventually. This 
slime affords the trout a protection absolutely neces- 
sary to its life. 

Don't ever endeavor to prevent others from fish- 
ing on the same grounds with you, as they have equal 
rights. If they lack gentlemanly instincts, do not 
under any circumstances forget that you are a sports- 
man, and to carry out the honorable methods properly 
attributed to one. 

Don't fail to assist others to secure good sport 
through refusing to give necessary and correct in- 
formation. Remember that at times such informa- 
tion has been or will be of great service to yourself. 
Moreover, the first oV)ligation of a sportsman is to do 
all in his power to aid his fellows. 

Don't ever begin to unjoint a rod by first pulling 
the second joint from the butt. Commence by re- 
moving the tip, and then the second joint. Unless 
this is done, the sudden separating of the joints may 
drive the tip against some object and break it. 

Don't forget to always take a necessary quantity of 
worms for bait when going into the woods to seek the 
early spring trout-fishing. It is rarely that they can 
be obtained there. Worms make absokitely the best 
bait at that season, being, as it is, too early for flies. 



CHAPTEE XIX 

OPEN FISHING SEASONS IN UNITED STATES AND 
CANADA 

The following table gives the open seasons for 
taking game fish, as adopted by the various States, 
and in the several parts of Canada. This includes 
all changes made up to and during the year 1899. 
In several States, notably Maine, Michigan, New 
York, Ohio, Vermont, and Wisconsin, there are cer- 
tain waters excepted from the general law, each bear- 
ing a special open season, or closed entirely. For 
this reason it is better to consult the game laws of 
those States before fishing, noting the many excep- 
tions and special acts. 

It will be remarked that the time allotted to open 
seasons for the same variety of fish in the various 
States differs greatly. This is not owing altogether 
to the differences in the spawning season caused by 
changes in climate or temperature, but rather to 
faulty laws. In some localities the laws as they now 
stand do not afford any protection at all, which, it' is 
300 



OPEN FISHING SEASONS 201 

to be hoped, will be rectified before it is too late. 
Beyond question New York and Maine have given 
the matter of fish protection the closest attention, and 
their laws, as they now stand, are nearly perfect. 
Without unduly depriving the angler of spoi-t, they 
do protect fish during the spawning season, erring, if 
at all, on the side of safety. 

In some of the States, the fish laws are more hon- 
ored in the breach than in the observance — ^in fact, 
are practically not enforced at all. The necessity of 
enforcement will become apparent before long from 
a diminished fish supply, and then more stringent 
measures will be taken. 

The names of the various States will be found 
noted in the left-hand margin of the table following, 
and in the column bearing the name of the various 
fish will be found the dates covering the opening and 
closing days of the open season. 



202 FAMILIAR PISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 























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OPEN FISHING SEASONS 



203 



























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Mch. 15th. 








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20tl: FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 















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OPEN FISHING SEASONS 



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Mav 1st. 










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Feb. 28th. 
















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May 1st 

to 

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June 1st 

to 
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Dec. 31st 

to 
Oct. 15th. 


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to 
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to 

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to 
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206 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 







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Nov. 1st. 


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to 
Sept. 15th. 






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to 
Jan. 1st. 




















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May 1st 

to 
Nov. 1st. 






June 1st 

to 
Feb. 1st. 












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OPEN FISHING SEASONS 



20' 











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to 
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Apr. 15th 

to 
Sept. 1st. 


May 1st 

to 
Nov. 1st. 


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208 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 



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May 15th 

to 
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June 15th 

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CHAPTEE XX 

SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF FISH MENTIONED 

In nearly all publications relating to fish, the 
Latin or scientific name of each is usually given 
immediately following the English appellation. In 
this work this method has not been followed, as it 
seemed preferable to give the subject a chapter to 
itself. In this manner the fish mentioned can be 
kept together in groups or families, and the distinc- 
tive family and varietal name of each readily seen and 
learned. This allows, as well, opportunity and space 
to give the derivation and meaning of each. It is 
well to know all this, for the reason that these names 
are constantly used. They are, indeed, a necessary 
part of a fisherman's knowledge. The salmon (pro- 
nounced sam^m) family, being most prominent, is 
given first, and the other fish are given in the order 
followed in the preceding chapters. 

Salmo salar : common Atlantic salmon. Salmo and solar are 
old Latin names for this family of fish, both derived from 
salio, to leap, and doubtless were corrupted or changed from 
15 209 



210 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

the originals in being lianded down. The word salmo is used 
in connection with a large variety of the trouts, to designate 
the family or descent. It is the first name given, as is the case 
with all other kinds of fish, being the specific name indicat- 
ing the species. The other names following are subspecific, 
expressing a variety. 

Oiicorhynchus : the Pacific varieties of salmon. From 07/cos, 
hook ; pvyxos-: snout. The word salmo is not applied to this 
great branch of the salmon family in the scientific name, but 
they bear instead the specific name given above. 

Oncorhyiichus tschawytscha : king or quinnat salmon. Tscha- 
wytscha is the vernacular name for this fish among the natives 
of Alaska and Kamchatka. 

Oncorhyiichus iierka: red or blueback salmon. Nerka is a 
Russian name applied to this variety. 

Oiicorhynchus kisutch: silver salmon. Kisutch, the Alaskan 
and Kamchatkan vernacular name. 

Oncorhyiichus gorbuscha : humpback salmon. GorUischa, the 
Russian vernacular name in Alaska. 

Oncorhynchus keta : dog salmon. Keta, a vernacular name in 
Kamchatka. 

Salmo or Salvelinus fontinalis : the common brook or speckled 
trout. Salvelinus, an old name for the char. Fo7itinalis, 
living in springs. In this connection it is well to know that 
among the trouts salmo is applied to the rainbow, brown, cut- 
throat, Tahoe, and steelhead ; while salvelinus represents the 
brook, red-spotted or Dolly Varden, blueback, saibling, and 
Sunapee varieties. 

Salmo irideus : rainbow trout. Irideus, rainbow-like. 

Salmo fario : brown trout. Fario, European varietal name. 

Salmo mykiss : cut-throat trout. Ilykiss, a vernacular name 
for this species.in Kamchatka. 



SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF FISH MENTIONED 211 

Salmo luykiss Heiisliawi: Tahoe trout. Henshaivi, named for 
II. W. Henshaw, who discovered this fish. 

Salmo (xairdiieri : steelhead trout. Gairdneri, named for Dr. 
Gairdner, who discovered it. 

Salveliiiiis uialma : red-spotted, or Dolly Varden trout. Malma, 
a vernacular name for this fish in Kamchatka. 

Salvelinus Oqiiassa : blueback trout of Maine. Oquassa, name 
of one of the Rangeley lakes. 

Salvelinus Alpimis : saibling. Alpinus, A\^mQ. 

Salvelinus Alpinus aureolus : Simapee trout. Aureolus, golden. 

Cristivonier naniaycusli : lake trout. •Cristivomer, from crista, 
crest ; vomer, vomer ; meaning a slender, thin bone separating 
the nostrils. Namaycush, an Indian name applied to this fish. 

Tliymallus Ontariensis : • Michigan grayling. Thymallus, an 
ancient name for grayling, the fish having the odor of thyme. 
Ontariensis,oi or pertaining to Lake Ontario. 

Salmo salar ouananiclie McCarthy : ouananiche, or so-called 
landlocked salmon of Canada. Ouananiche, Montagnais In- 
dian vernacular meaning little salmon. 3IcCarthy, so named 
from his first writing fully regarding this fish. 

Salmo salar (ouananiche) Sebago: landlocked salmon of the 
United States. Sebago, name of a noted Maine fishing lake, 
where this species was first found. 

Sea trout. There is no especial name for these fish. As previ- 
ously stated, nearly all trout can live in salt water, and do run 
down to it when the streams they inhabit are tributary tc the 
sea. Naturally they bear the same names when found in salt 
water. 

Micropterus Dolomieu: small-mouthed black bass. Jlicropte- 
rus, small fin. Improperly named, for the reason that the 
original specimen to which the name was given had the dorsal 
fin injured. The posterior rays being detached and broken 



212 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 

off short were taken for a separate fin. Dolomieu, named for 

M. Dolomieu, of Paris. 
Micropterus salmoides : large-mouth black bass, Oswego bass. 

Salmoides, troutlike. This fish is often called a " trout " in 

the Southern States, being troutlike in gameness and in 

quality as food. 
Pomoxis sparoides: calico bass, strawberry bass. Pomoxis, 

sharp opercle, the opercle ending in two flat points instead of an 

" ear flap." Sparoides, from (rirapos, sparus ; «t5oj, resemblance. 
Ambloplites rupestris : rock bass, red eye, goggle eye. Amblo- 

plites, blunt armature. Rupestris, living among rocks. 
Roccuschrysops : white bass, striped bass, silver bass, Roccus, 

from the vernacular, rock fish. Chrysops, gold eyed. 
Lucius masquinongy: muskallunge. Lucius, the Latin name 

for pike. Masquinongy, the Indian name given this fish, sup- 
posed to indicate hard fighting. Old name, infrequently used, 

Usox nohilior. 
Lucius reticulatns : pickerel. Reticulatus, netted. Old name, 

infrequently used, Esox reticulatus. 
Lucius lucius : pike. Old name, infrequently used, Eaox lucius. 
Stizostedion vitreum : pike perch, wall-eyed pike, yellow pike. 

Stizostedion, pungent throats. Vitreum (vitreus), glassy, from 

their large eyes. 
Perca flavesceiis: yellow perch, ringed perch, striped perch. 

Perca, the ancient name of the fish. Flavescens, yellowish. 
Morone Aiiiericaua : white perch. Morone, name unexplained. 

Americana, American. 
Cyprinus carpio: scale carp. Cyprinus, the ancient name of 

the carp. Carpio, carp. 
Cyprinus carpio coriaceus : leather carp. Coriaceus, leathery. 
Ameiurus nebulosus: bullhead. Ameiurus, curtailed; the 

caudal fin not notched. Nehulosus, clouded. 



SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF FISH MENTIONED 213 

Ameiurus lacustris : catfish of the lakes, Mississippi cat. La- 

custris, living in lakes. 
Ameiurus catus : channel cat. Catus (low Latin), cat. 
Aplodinotus ^rnnnicns : sheepshead, fresh-water drum. Aplo- 

dinotus, single back. Grunniens, grunting. 
Lota maculosa: burbot, lawyer, ling. Lota, an ancient name 

given this fish from the French la lotte. Maculosa, spotted. 
Coregonus clupeiformis: whitefish. Coregonus, old Latin 

name for whitefish. Clupeiformis, shad or herring shaped. 
Osmerus : smelt. Osmerus, odorous. The name is the same as 

the English " smelt." 



INDEX 



Anchor, 191, 192. 

Angle wovms, 119, 120, 199. 

Bait box, 121. 

Baits, artificial, 180. 

Basket fish, 99, 121. 

Bass, black, 11, 15, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 
48, 54, 184, 211, 212 ; fishing for, 136- 
138, 140-145 ; Oswego, 44 ; rock, 41, 
42, 50, 52, 212 ; strawberry or cali- 
co, 41, 42, 48, 50, 212 ; white, 41, 52, 
144, 212. 

Bed, camp, 169, 

Blanket, rubber, 175. 

Boats, dangers to avoid in, 194-197. 

Bullheads, 7, 67, 77, 78, 184, 212 ; fish- 
ing for, 161, 162. 

Burbot, or ling, 67, 80, 82, 213 ; fish- 
ing for, 163. 

Camp, bark, or open, 168, 169. 

Camp fire, 170, 172, 197. 

Camping, 164, 178. 

Camping list, 172-176. 

Canadian licenses, 186. 

Carp, fishing for, 161 ; leather back, 

67, 73, 75, 77. 212 ; mirror, 73; scale, 

7, 67, 73, 75, 77, 212. 
Casting with minnows, 141. 
Catfish, 18, 67, 77, 78, 213 ; fishing for, 

162. 
Chars, 30, 31. 
Chubb, 84. 
Ciscoes, 30. 

Cleaning salmon and trout, 122. 
Clothing, 177, 178. 



Compass, Nature's, 186-189 ; watch, 

188. 
Cooking, 176, 177, 190, 191. 
Cusk, 80. 

Disgorger for hooks, 157. 
Dore, 64. 

Drum, or sheepshead, 67, 78, 80, 213 ; 
fishing for, 162. 

Eel pout, 80. 

Eggs, fish, 6-8, 10, 12-14. 

Fire, danger from, 197. 

Fish basket, 99, 121. 

Fish, cleaning of, 122, 184 ; fighting 

qualities of, 44, 45, 126, 127 : names 

of parts and fins of, 186. 
Fishing, locations for, 185 ; time of 

day for, 191. 
Fish laws, violation of, 3, 4, 123, 197. 
Fish way, 8, 9. 
Flies, 103, 130. 

Flies, preventive against, 179, 180. 
Fly fishing, 102, 130, 132, 137, 159. 
Frogs, 189, 190. 
Frog spear, 189. 

Gang of hooks, 148, 149. 
Goode, George Brown, quoted, 39. 
Grayling, 29, 30, 211. 
Gut, tying, 100. 

Hatcheries, 9, 10. 

Hatching, 10, 13, 15, 16, 70, 71 ; black 

bass, 15, 48 ; ouananiche, 36, 37 ; 

trout, 9, 11, 26. 

215 



216 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 



Herring, 30. 

Hooks, 86, 92, 93, 112, 121, 140, 143, 
144, 148, 150, 188, 189. 

Ice fishing, 152, 160. 

Lake St. John, 32, 33, 166. 

Landing net, 93. 

Lawyers, 80, 213. 

I>eaders, 86, 107, 112, 147, 149, 192. 

Licenses, Canadian, 186. 

Lines, 86, 90, 92, 103, 112. 

Ling. See Burbot. 

List for camping, 172, 176. 

Marston, R. B., quoted, 22. 

Minnows, casting with, 141. 

Mosquitoes, preventive against, 179, 
180. 

Muskallunge, 56-58, 66, 212 ; deriva- 
tion of name, 57 ; distinguished 
from pike and pickerel, 58, 60-62 ; 
fishing for, 147, 148 ; where found, 
146. 

Ouananiche, 32-37, 126-129, 211 ; fish- 
ing for, 126-129 ; hatching, 36, 37. 

Perch, ringed, 68, 212; striped, 68, 
212 ; white, 67, 71-73, 212 ; fishing 
for, 160, 161 ; yellow, 67, 68, 70, 71, 
184, 185, 212 ; fishing for, 158-160. 

Photography, 182. 

Pickerel, 56-58, 60-62, 66, 212 ; distin- 
guished from muskallunge and 
pike, 58, 60-62; fishing for, 149, 156. 

Pike, 56-58, 61, 62, 66, 212; distin- 
guished from muskallunge and 
pickerel, 58-62 ; fishing for, 149- 
1.56 ; names in various countries, 
62 ; wall-eyed, 64 ; yellow, 64. 

Pike perch, 56, 57, 64-66, 212 ; fishing 
for, 156, 157. 

Pillow, rubber, 176. 

Preserves, fishing, 122, 123. 

Preserving fish, 192. 



Reels, 86, 89, 90, 103, 112. 

Releaser, 184. 

Rods, 86, 87, 100, 103, 108, 109, 111, 112, 

120, 121, 127, 138, 140; unjointing, 

199. 

Salmon, Atlantic, 18, 23, 111, 209, 210 ; 
fishing for. 111, 112, 114, 115 ; land- 
locked, 32, 33, 211 ; Pacific, 18, 20, 
111, 210 ; where found, 18, 20, 111. 

Scientific names of fish, 209-213. 

Seasons, fishing, in Canada, 200, 201, 
208 ; in the United States, 200-207. 

Sheepshead. See Drum. 

Smelts, 18, 213. 

Spawning, 6-12, 70, 73. 

Spinners, 93, 140. 

Spoons, trolling, 93, 94, 147-151, 156. 

Suckers, 7, 73, 75, 82. 

Sunfish, 54. 

Tackle box, 95-100. 

Tackle, care of, 180, 181. 

Tip-ups, 153-156. 

Trespassing, 197. 

Trolling, 188, 189. 

Trout, blue-back, 29, 210 ; brook, 7, 9, 
11, 12, 18, 20, 22-24, 26, 38, 39, 115, 
116, 210 ; fishing for, 115-122 ; brown, 
18, 23, 24, 26, 116, 210; cutthroat, 
29, 210 ; Dolly Varden, 29, 210, 211; 
lake, 26-29, 123-125, 211 ; fishing for, 
123-125 ; Loch Leven, 29 ; rainbow, 
18-26,40, 116, 210; red-spotted, 29, 
210, 211 ; salmon, 26-28 ; saibling, 
29, 210, 211 ; sea, 37-40, 211 ; fishing 
for, 130-135 ; Sunapee or golden, 
27, 29, 210, 211 ; steelhead, 29, 210, 
211 ; Tahoe, 29, 210, 211 ; weight 
and length of, 188 ; raising, 11-14 ; 
shipping, 13, 14. 

Waterproofing boots, 191. 
Whitefish, 18, 30, 213. 
Worms, angle, 119, 120, 199. 



(7) 



THE END 



"A BUTTERFLY BOOK OF BEAUTY/' 



How to Know the Butterflies. 

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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